The Marvelous Misadventures of Ozpin and Glynda
by SoloRogueStudios
Summary: The tales of Beacon's Headmaster and his Deputy Headmistress as they go through their daily lives trying to hold on to their sanity (or one them does at least). Collection of oneshots centered around Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch. Please read, review, and enjoy. I guess since this is a full-on AU now, I'll say this; welcome to the Misadventure-verse.
1. Chapter 1: A Day in the Life

**Wow, it has been a while since I've posted anything on here. I've been busy with school and video games (just got an Xbox One) so I haven't had the time. Decided I wanted to get back into writing and noticed the depressing lack of OzGlyn in the RWBY section so I decided I would make some myself. Third story I've ever written, gonna be a collection of oneshots ranging from comedy to drama (with Romance, of course), read and review and give me feedback and I hope you all enjoy it. Rated M for mature content and/or language later on down the line. **

**Also, ****Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or its characters, they all belong to Rooster Teeth, Monty Oum, Miles, Kerry, etc.**

**Edit: Decided to go back and make some minor changes based on the feedback I've been getting. Just got rid of the cumbersome looking time-breaks by writing them into the story itself.**

**Edit 2: Minor changes to the scene with Coco in light of her last name being revealed. Also caught a spelling error for my trouble.**

**Edit 3: Updated description of Scarlet's outfit now that we've actually gotten a good look at it. **

* * *

Chapter 1: A Day in the Life

Sunrise, the beginning of a beautiful day in the city of Vale. Few places had as privileged a view of the first rays of morning light as Beacon Academy. This early in the morning however, only the most religiously devoted of students were up to enjoy the view. Well, them and one Professor Glynda Goodwitch.

The Professor was in her office in Beacon Tower preparing to start her inevitably busy day and looking over her outfit to make sure nothing was out of place. She wore a white long-sleeved blouse tucked into a business skirt/corset with gold buttons down to the waist and lace trim at the bottom. She had black-brown stockings on with high-heeled knee boots, one of which held her weapon of choice. A black cape a gold tiara and diamonds on the outside and purple on the inside rounded out the ensemble along with a pair elliptical spectacles. She was in the middle her hair while making a fresh pot of coffee, checking the curl alongside her face before winding her blonde hair into a tight bun. She looked up at the elaborate porcelain coffee pot as it finished filling.

"Well, I guess it's time for a wakeup call." she said as she poured some coffee into a Beacon-emblem mug.

Glynda took the elevator up to the Headmaster's office, walking in to leave the coffee pot on his desk, and then took a private elevator down to his quarters which were located just below the office. She walked in to find that Professor Ozpin was already up and was inspecting his personal uniform. He wore a dark-green, almost black, suit consisting of an open jacket, dress pants, and a waistcoat over a plain green shirt. He topped it off with a green scarf with a cross-like emblem pinned to it and a pair of tinted spectacles with quirky, zigzagging arms. He adjusted his glasses and ran his hands through his tousled gray hair when he noticed his guest.

"Ah, Glynda. Good morning."

"Good morning Professor Ozpin. Your morning coffee sir." she said, handing him the mug.

"Thank you Glynda."

Ozpin gladly took a sip, savoring the sweet taste of the cream and five sugars he had Glynda mix in every morning. The Deputy Headmistress made a point to keep the coffee machine in her office lest Ozpin develop an addiction on par with that of Doctor Oobleck. The two made their way to the elevator to go start their day of running the academy they put so much effort into maintaining.

"I left the coffee pot on your desk, as usual, and I'll bring up all of the paperwork you have to fill out today."

"Thank you. Now, shall we start the morning rounds?"

"I'm afraid there's no time today, you simply have too much work to do." Glynda said, looking disheartened.

She left the green and bronze clockwork office to get what Ozpin assumed was going to be a mountain of forms and reports for him to look through. He dreaded the thought of being stuck in his office looking through them all day but found himself thinking back to what Glynda had said. The two of them did the rounds every morning. It was extremely rare for his workload to be heavy enough that they couldn't start their day with this morning walk. Ozpin's thoughts on the subject were cut off as Glynda walked back into his office carting an absolutely colossal stack of papers before levitating them onto his desk using her Semblance.

"Oh my." he said, incredulously.

"Make sure you finish all of it before you go off on any…excursions." she said sternly.

"Of course Glynda."

Glynda made her way over to the main elevator; she had to get back to her office and prepare her combat lessons for the day. Ozpin made her stop one last time.

"Glynda. Have a good day."

"You as well sir."

* * *

Ozpin began to sift through the seemingly endless pile of papers. He had only gotten through about a quarter of it before letting out a heavy sigh. It was just another ordinary day and the Headmaster's mind was begging for something interesting to do, a puzzle to solve or a problem to address. Almost as if on cue a holo-screen popped up on his desk to tell him that someone was at his door.

"Come in."

The door opened allowing a student to walk in, a girl who seemed to have an impeccable fashion sense. She wore a black beret and sunglasses along with a black scarf and corset over a light-brown blouse with a frilled collar. She completed the outfit with black cargo-pants, black high-heeled boots, a large belt covered in bullets, and an assortment of necklaces and chains. Her brown hair was cut short save for a long, wavy lock on the side that was dyed orange to red.

"Ah, Ms. Adel. Is there something I can help you with today?"

Coco Adel was the leader of Team CFVY, a team of upperclassmen at Beacon. She removed her sunglasses as a sign of respect before addressing the Headmaster.

"Yes Headmaster; I would like to file a formal complaint regarding bullying, harassment, and even racism on this campus."

"Go on." Ozpin said, cocking an eyebrow at the bold accusation.

"Team CRDL has been tormenting my teammate, Velvet Scarlatina, since their arrival here at Beacon. Since Velvet is too soft-spoken and kind to deal with this situation herself, I have taken the responsibility of doing so upon myself as team leader."

"I see. I'm glad you came to me with this issue Coco, you did the right thing."

"Well…after the last time someone was messing with my team you said that I should come to you instead of handling it myself."

"Yes well, if not for Professor Goodwitch we would still be paying off the damages from that incident. Anyway, I have heard rumors and reports here and there about Team CRDL's activities but decided to let them play out. Now that a student has brought this to my attention I can no longer ignore it."

"I won't question your methods Headmaster but now that I am here I would like to see this matter resolved as quickly as possible."

"Yes of course. I shall gather Team CRDL and Miss Scarlatina." said Ozpin as he pulled his scroll out to message the students directly.

"I actually took the liberty of bringing Velvet along, she's right outside." said Coco as she headed towards the door.

About fifteen minutes later, four boys dressed in knight-style armor stood at attention in the clockwork office. The easiest way to tell them apart was by the color and style of their hair. Dove Bronzewing with his combed blonde hair, Sky Lark with his long blue hair, Russel Thrush with his green mohawk, and Cardin Winchester with his combed-back brown hair. Alongside the desk stood Coco and a girl with long brown hair and rabbit ears wearing a school uniform. The tension in the room was nearly visible until Professor Ozpin spoke up.

"Mr. Winchester, it has been brought to my attention that you and your team have been engaging in some less than flattering behavior towards your fellow students."

Cardin tried to respond. "Well I-"

"Stop. I have heard reports from multiple Professors and decided to let them deal with it in their own way. But now this behavior has persisted and has been brought to me directly, and with racist implications no less." Ozpin narrowed his eyes and dropped his voice down low. "Racism of any kind will not be tolerated at this academy Mr. Winchester, nor will persistent harassment towards other students. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes sir." Cardin said, now terrified of the man who sat in front of him.

"And the rest of you?"

"Y-yes sir." Russel, Dove, and Sky said in the same way.

"Good. Now, all of you will be serving detention for the next month with Professor Goodwitch. You are all dismissed."

Team CRDL internally cringed at the thought of serving a month of detention with Beacon's strictest staff member. They had combat class with her next and the look on Ozpin's face told them that he expected them to break the news to her themselves. Ozpin knew that Professor Goodwitch wasn't particularly fond of overseeing detention and would rather put off the earful he would receive from her for as long as possible. Coco looked at Velvet with a triumphant smile as Team CRDL filed out of the office. Coco was the last one out; she earned a nod of acknowledgement from the Headmaster in response to her silent thank you. Outside the office Coco replaced her sunglasses before turning to face Cardin.

"I went to Ozpin this time, but if you mess with my team again I'll put you in the ground." she stated coldly as she and Velvet took their leave.

Cardin looked on angrily as the elevator departed the small waiting area. He couldn't believe someone that he thought of as inferior to him had gotten their way.

"So I guess we can't mess with Faunus-girl anymore." Russel said to their leader.

"Guess not. But just because we can't mess with Faunus anymore doesn't mean we can't mess with weaklings. Besides, I never did get back at Little Miss Perfect."

"What are you saying Cardin?" asked Dove.

"I'm saying that maybe it's time we took another crack at good ol' Jauney-boy."

Cardin led the way with a devilish smirk on his face. Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office, Ozpin got back to his paperwork. He was quite disappointed that his distraction had lasted such a short time.

_"I wonder if Glynda's day is any more interesting."_

* * *

Professor Goodwitch was breaking everyone into pairs for one-on-one combat sessions when she noticed all of Team CRDL walking in late. She frowned, knowing full well the lack of effort the team was known for; still, this kind of tardiness was a new low for them. It was then that she noticed the looks on their faces, like they had something to tell her, something they didn't want to tell her.

"Team CRDL, see me after class. Until then you're paired off in team order with Team JNPR." she said sternly.

The rest of class time went fairly normally. Team RWBY was at the top of the class as usual, followed closely by Team JNPR. Not surprising considering that Team JNPR had the famous Pyrrha Nikos fighting for them. What surprised her was that team leader Jaune Arc actually won his duel against Cardin. No one could deny that the blonde-haired boy had improved greatly over the past few months and Goodwitch made careful note of his progress. Class ended as quickly as it had begun for the Professor; as ordered Team CRDL stayed behind to see her after everyone else had left.

"You four had better have a good explanation for why you were late to my class."

Cardin stepped forward. "We were called to Professor Ozpin's office. We've been given a month of detention with you Professor."

"I see. I can't imagine what you four could've done to warrant such a punishment but you are to meet me back here at four o'clock sharp."

"Yes ma'am." Cardin said as his team began to file out of the auditorium. "Before I go Professor, there's something I thought I should bring to your attention."

"And what would that be?"

"Well I just couldn't help but notice how close Jaune and Pyrrha have been getting lately, what with them meeting on the roof of the dorm almost every night and all. I'd just hate to imagine what they could possibly be doing behind closed doors, considering they share a room."

Cardin turned and left the auditorium, a smug smirk spreading across his face. Glynda was left to think about what she just heard as she headed back to her office.

_"What should I do? After the beating Mr. Winchester took from Mr. Arc today I should write it off as an act of petty vengeance. Mr. Winchester is well known for bullying and harassing other students; considering his attitude, it would be a likely explanation. Still, I'm obligated to follow up on all reports and complaints that are brought to my attention. Oh what a bother this is going to be."_

Glynda reached her office and sent a message to Jaune and Pyrrha's scrolls telling them to come to her office. This was a lecture she had grown accustomed to giving to students but one that was still unpleasant for her nonetheless.

It took about fifteen minutes for the students to arrive; Jaune and Pyrrha sat awkwardly in Professor Goodwitch's office. They had changed out of their combat gear and into their school uniforms, obviously not expecting to see the Professor again for the rest of the day. Yet here they were, sitting in her office with feelings of uneasiness tying their stomachs in knots. The leader of Team JNPR exchanged worried looks with his red-haired partner. They didn't know why they had been called here but the frown on the Professor's face indicated that it couldn't have been good. Jaune eventually got sick of waiting and decided to speak up.

"Umm…excuse me Professor, why exactly did you ask us to come to your office?"

"Well Mr. Arc, if you must know, a student has brought a rather important issue to light."

"Involving us? What could we have done?" Pyrrha questioned.

"I'll get straight to the point then. It has been brought to my attention that you two are teammates, partners in fact, that are in a romantic and perhaps even intimate relationship with one another."

"W-w-what!?" they both yelled as their faces turned beet red.

"It has been reported that you two meet in secret regularly on the dormitory roof for starters."

Pyrrha tried to speak through her fluster, "N-no! It's nothing like that, w-we just-"

"Please, I don't need to hear the details. I know you may not want to hear this lecture but it is my responsibility to give it to you." Goodwitch continued as Jaune and Pyrrha sat there, mortified.

"Here at Beacon we allow even our co-ed teams to share a dorm room because we believe that sharing a residence can help improve team dynamics. We do this fully aware of the fact that intimate or even sexual relationships may develop between teammates."

Upon hearing this Jaune and Pyrrha started to sweat profusely, the heat on their faces practically turning up the temperature of the room.

"You are not the first couple to get this talk and you certainly won't be the last so I'm only going to say this once. Here at Beacon we expect every student to be responsible for their own actions. Whatever you two do behind closed doors is your personal business, just be aware that you will be expected to face any consequences your actions may bring. Understood?"

Jaune and Pyrrha simply nodded. They could neither move nor speak due to the sheer embarrassment. Professor Goodwitch continued to stare at the two of them.

"Well? You're dismissed."

Jaune and Pyrrha nodded again as they slowly got up and left. Once they got out of the office the heat began to leave their faces. Pyrrha was the first to come to.

"W-well, that was certainly an awkward meeting."

"Y-yeah."

"To think that Professor Goodwitch thought that we could've been doing…something like that."

"Yeah, talk about crazy right. It must've been Cardin trying to spite us or something. I mean, I did beat him in combat class today." said Jaune with the faux confidence he usually carried.

Pyrrha smiled lightly at his bluster. "Come on Jaune, we're already late for lunch."

"H-hey Pyrrha. S-so I was wondering, y-you wanna get some dinner later? Just the two of us?"

Pyrrha's mouth hung open before turning into a beautiful smile. "I would love to."

Back in the office, Glynda breathed an exasperated sigh. This day had been a little more eventful than she had hoped.

_"Perhaps I should check on Ozpin and see how his day is going."_

* * *

Glynda tapped her scroll on the sensor and walked into Ozpin's office only to find that the Headmaster was not there. A frown came to her face when she noticed a small stack of papers that had yet to be looked over.

_"Where could he have gone off to. He didn't even finish his work first like I told him to."_

She sat down in Ozpin's chair and began to look over his work. Meanwhile, on the other side of campus, Professor Ozpin was taking a leisurely stroll around the academy to get his mind off his work. As he walked, cane and coffee mug in hand, he noticed a team of students from another academy that were visiting for the Vital Festival. One team member was a blonde Monkey-Faunus with an open shirt.

_"Sun Wukong I believe his name was, a friend of Blake Belladonna's."_

The rest of the team consisted of a blue-haired boy with goggles and a red jacket, a dark-skinned boy with green hair and a long open jacket, and a red-haired boy wearing a set of clothes that looked similar to something a pirate would wear. Curious about how the students were doing at Beacon, the Headmaster decided to approach them.

"Hello there. How are you four doing on this fine afternoon?"

"Whoa, Headmaster Ozpin, hey…we're doing…good, sir." Sun replied.

"Please, there's no need for such formality, Professor will do." Ozpin said as he sat down with the team.

"So, Team SSSN is it, how are you enjoying your stay here at Beacon?"

"We've met some pretty cool people so far and the campus is great." said Neptune, the blue-haired boy.

"Sage and I haven't been here for very long but it seems nice. The people here are very friendly." replied Scarlet, the red-haired boy.

Ozpin smiled at the compliments. "Well, I'm glad you're all having a good time."

Ozpin stayed with Team SSSN for a while, hearing the stories about their various adventures in Haven Academy and imparting them with his worldly wisdom.

"And that, students, is why you should never use explosives to launch an Ursa into the air to kill a Giant Nevermore, unless of course your name is Peter Port." Ozpin said with a chuckle.

"Wow, that's crazy. I should probably give the big guy a little more credit." said Sage.

"Well, I certainly hope you're all enjoying yourselves."

Ozpin and Team SSSN looked up to find Glynda Goodwitch standing nearby. Team SSSN internally cringed. Even though they were only visiting they all knew of Professor Goodwitch's fearsome reputation by this point.

"Ah, Glynda. Well I apologize Team SSSN but it seems I'd better be getting back now. It was nice to get to know you all."

"Yeah, it was nice talking to you Professor." said Sun as Ozpin and Glynda took their leave.

Neptune walked up to Sun. "First name basis huh? You think they're…?"

"What!? Nah!?"

Glynda took the walk back to Ozpin's office as an opportunity to catch up with the Headmaster. Despite knowing that his self-imposed break was over he was glad that he had this time to talk with the Deputy Headmistress.

"So I see you couldn't stay put and finish your work before taking one of your walks."

"Can you honestly blame me? It was an awful lot of paperwork to go through."

"I suppose not, and you did get through most of it. I filled out and organized the papers you didn't finish, they just need your signature. Make sure you look over them when we get back."

"I will, and thank you Glynda."

"And what's this about Team CRDL having a month of detention with me?"

"Bullying and racism towards another student. I trust you'll punish them accordingly."

Glynda flinched upon hearing how heinous they're actions really were. "Yes, I'll get right on that."

Ozpin decided to change the subject to a more pleasant one. "I must say it's rather nice to be able to take a walk with you like this."

"Yes, your workload was so heavy today that we couldn't do our morning rounds together like usual."

The two of them got back to Ozpin's office; Ozpin sat down and began to look over his papers while Glynda checked the time. It was almost four o'clock.

"I'd better get going sir, I have to oversee Team CRDL's detention and I have some other things to finish up as well."

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

Team CRDL had assembled in the auditorium at four sharp exactly as Professor Goodwitch had instructed. Neither of them wanted to think about what would happen if they were late by even a minute. The Professor was somewhat pleased to find the troublemakers were already waiting for her when she arrived.

"Well, it seems that the four of you can at least be punctual. Follow me, we're heading to the dining hall."

Not one member of Team CRDL dared ask what they would be doing once they got there. The walk was short but drew the attention of multiple students including a triumphant looking Coco. Some could be heard joking that Team CRDL might as well be on death row among other things.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I've brought you here." stated Professor Goodwitch as they entered the dining hall. "Dinner is at six PM; you have two hours to make sure this entire building is spotless."

Dove and Sky stared incredulously as Russel tried to protest. "Are you serious, the whole dining hall!?"

"Did I stutter? I heard why you received this detention from Professor Ozpin. This punishment seemed appropriate for what you've done. Besides, a little manual labor builds character. You will do this every night from four to six for the next month."

Professor Goodwitch supervised Team CRDL's work for the next two hours. She pointed out when they were doing something poorly and made them do it over again. After they finished, Goodwitch dismissed them to join their fellow students for dinner. Goodwitch herself went to her office to finish up some last minute work.

* * *

Ozpin sat in his office working on a holographic computer integrated into his desk. He was checking up on the goings on of the world; everything from news reports, crime statistics, and reports on Grimm activity were up on the screen. He was so absorbed in his work that he didn't notice Glynda walking up to him.

"I figured you would skip dinner again. Here, I brought your evening tea as well." she said, placing a plate of food and a mug of tea on his desk.

"Thank you Glynda, I appreciate it." Ozpin said while looking up with a smile.

He quickly turned back to his work, now checking the progress of various students. He skimmed over Team RWBY quickly, not needing to check his star team too thoroughly, and moved on to Team JNPR. He focused particularly on Jaune's personal growth. He was about to continue when he felt Glynda place her hands on his shoulders.

"Please don't work too late, and try to get some sleep."

Ozpin reached up and put his hand over one of hers. "Alright, I'll be finished soon. I'll eat while I work and then turn in for the night."

Glynda left the office as Ozpin turned back to his work. He started to eat the food she had brought him and could instantly tell that she had made it herself. He could tell because of the care put into making it and the fact that it was far above anything the school's cooking staff would make on a normal day. Although Ozpin was one of the few who knew it, Glynda did have a kind and caring side to her. She worried about him frequently due to his tendency to get absorbed in his responsibility to the world. He was lucky to be the only one she let her guard down for, the only one she truly went out of her way to look after. During the day it was business as usual, but in the evening the two of them shared a private life that no one else knew about.

Before he knew it Ozpin had finished his meal. As promised he finished reading his last report and then powered down his computer. He took the private lift down to his quarters and found Glynda there waiting for him. She was sitting up in his bed while reading a book. Her hair was let down, falling past her shoulders, and she was wearing a set of lavender colored pajamas with a gold star pattern.

"Oh, I see you took my advice and finished up early."

"Yes, I figured I should get some rest tonight. I see you're wearing the pajamas I got you." Ozpin said as he stepped into the bathroom to change and clean up for the night.

Glynda blushed at his comment, caught off guard by his latest deliberate attempt to fluster her. She went back to her book, smiling at Ozpin's joking nature. He emerged from the bathroom in a plain emerald-colored pajamas and joined Glynda in their bed.

"I'm glad you decided to turn in early; you've been pulling all-nighters for the past three days."

"Glynda, I know you worry about me but I need to keep track of the world and how best to defend it."

"I know that, but I wish you would take better care of yourself."

"And what about you Glynda?" Ozpin said as he began massaging her shoulders. "Who takes care of you and makes sure you don't push yourself too hard?"

"The idea is that we take care of each other." Glynda said, drawing Ozpin into a chaste kiss.

"Well, that's hardly fair. As far as I can tell you're the one who's always taking care of me."

"You've taken care of me plenty in the past. But, if you really feel that bad about it-" Glynda pulled him into a deeper kiss than before.

"You know, if we want to get any sleep tonight then we should probably stop before this goes any further."

"You're probably right." Glynda said, closing her book and removing her glasses.

Glynda laid on her side and closed her eyes, deciding that getting Ozpin to go to sleep this early was enough for her tonight. Ozpin soon followed suit, putting aside his own glasses before laying beside Glynda and wrapping his arms around her.

"Good night Glynda."

"Good night."

* * *

**Well, that was a thing. Tell me what you wanna see in the future of this story? The crew on Reddit has already given me a bunch of ideas I have lined up. What does everybody want - tragedy, food fights, smut, flashbacks? Lemme know. **


	2. Chapter 2: Inspection

**A/N: Thank you all for the feedback and the reviews. I've gotta say, I didn't expect this story to take off like it did. It took me a lot longer to make this second chapter than I originally thought, I'll try to update as regularly as possible but I've got to deal with school while I'm working on this. I'm also working on a tribute story for Monty but that's already done on paper so it won't take too much time away from this. I'd like to have a Valentines chapter up on the day of but at this point it isn't even started and I'm not about to sacrifice quality for timing. Also, if anyone asks, the reason why this chapter starts and ends the way it does is because I'm a jerk, but in a fun way.**

**Also, special thanks to caterpillartomoko on DeviantArt who allowed me to use her artwork as a cover image for this story, here's the link: **** caterpillartomoko()deviantart()com/art/RWBY-Ozpin-and-Glynda-432566962, just replace the parentheses with periods.**** Anyway without further ado, enjoy the read.**

**Edit: Added or changed lines to make it clear that Beacon Tower and the CCT are the same building, I didn't know that when I first wrote this. Also has the added effect of making the inspector slightly more of a prick. **

* * *

Chapter 2: Inspection

Ozpin sat against the headboard of his bed groggily. The room was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight streaming in through the window. He looked up to see Glynda sitting on the other end of the bed and looking back at him. Her glasses were on, her hair was down, and the lavender shirt of her pajamas had to be unbuttoned because the next thing she did was slide it off her shoulders.

"Ozpin." She started to turn.

"Ozpin." She crawled towards him.

"Ozpin." She put her lips up to his ear.

"OZPIN!"

Ozpin woke up. The room was dark and Glynda Goodwitch stood before him, fully dressed in her day-clothes and with a rather frustrated look on her face. The Headmaster looked over at his nightstand and saw that the clock read five-twelve, almost an hour before he usually woke up. Glynda stared down at him disapprovingly as he noticed the coffee mug she was holding.

"Glynda, what's wrong, is there a reason you're waking me up so early?"

"W-well yes, I mean, don't tell me you've forgotten?"

"Forgotten?" Ozpin said, quirking his eyebrow.

"The inspector from the Vale Council comes today, the one the Council told you they were going to send to assess your position here."

"Ah yes; I had completely forgotten since the amount of paperwork on my desk has been growing larger every day for the past two weeks." he said as he got up from the bed.

"I wanted to make sure that your schedule would be clear for today. I honestly cannot believe you forgot all about this."

"I'm sorry Glynda, I've had a lot on my mind lately. I'd better get ready."

Ozpin changed in the bathroom before collecting his coffee from Glynda and his cane from its place next to his nightstand. The two of them took the elevator up to Ozpin's office to make sure it was presentable for the inspector, something they didn't really need to do thanks to Glynda's handiwork. Ozpin still had no idea how she managed to accomplish so much in so little time.

"Well, shall we do the morning rounds together?" asked Ozpin.

"It has been a while since you've been so busy, too long in fact. Let's go together then." Glynda said with a smile. "At least this way I'll be able to tell people to get ready for the inspector since I know you won't."

Ozpin chuckled. "Very funny."

* * *

Ozpin and Glynda left Beacon Tower and headed for the library. When they got there, they checked to make sure everything was in good condition. They picked up any stray books and placed them on a cart to be put back on the shelves. The librarian walked in soon after, pleasantly surprised to find her superiors giving her a head-start on her work and to see that both were present for the first time in weeks.

"Professor Goodwitch, and Professor Ozpin; it's been a while since I've seen both of you in here at once, let alone this early."

"Yes well, Glynda finally managed to pull me away from my work." joked Ozpin to the younger woman.

Goodwitch rolled her eyes. "An inspector from the Vale Council is going to be looking at the school today. Please make sure that everything is in order for his arrival."

"Yes, of course Professor." she said, adjusting her glasses and getting right to work.

Ozpin and Glynda took their leave and headed for the dining hall, planning to get some breakfast while they were there. The school's cooking staff greeted them excitedly when they arrived.

"Good morning Professors; would you like some breakfast?"

"That sounds excellent; a fried egg, sausage, bacon, and some buttered toast for me please." said Ozpin.

"Sir, don't you think that's a lot of fat and cholesterol." Glynda said as her hair practically stood on end.

"Oh come now Glynda, I can afford to indulge myself once in a while."

Professor Goodwitch frowned as she heaved a sigh. "Fine, don't blame me if you have a heart-attack." she muttered. "Scrambled egg whites and some home fries for me, minimal oil. We'll split the toast."

The cooking staff nodded, shrugging to one another at the two professor's conflicting mindsets. Breakfast was a quiet affair for them as they simply enjoyed each other's company. They made observations as they ate to make sure nothing was out of place and that everything was well cleaned. They told the staff to ensure that everything was in top shape before they headed off to the lecture halls.

The professors were all in their offices, preparing their lessons for the day. Ozpin and Goodwitch visited each of them and let them know that they would each be observed during one of their lessons today. They thanked the Headmaster for the heads-up and got back to work. Once they were done speaking with all of the professors, Ozpin and Glynda made their way to the dorms.

"Excuse me sir, I have to go remind a few problem students to be on their best behavior today, and maybe lock some of them up." Glynda said, muttering the last part under her breath.

Ozpin chuckled, knowing exactly what the more troublesome students of Beacon were in for. He was waiting patiently for Glynda's return when Team RWBY and Team JNPR, already in their school uniforms, spotted him in the hall. Ruby was the first to approach the Headmaster since she was the most comfortable speaking to him.

"What's going on Professor?"

"Ah, Ruby. There's an inspector coming today to check out the school."

"Inspector, why? Is something wrong with the school?" asked Jaune.

"No, nothing like that, just a routine inspection."

"Is there anything in particular that we should be doing?" asked Blake, the black-haired Cat-Faunus of Team RWBY.

"Not at all, just go about your day as you normally would."

"And remember that immediate disciplinary action will be taken if you put even a toe out of line today." said Professor Goodwitch as she walked back into the hallway.

The two teams visibly stiffened and their faces paled upon hearing this.

"Glynda, don't we still need to go check on the air-dock and greet the inspector when he arrives?"

"Oh right. Shall we?"

Goodwitch turned and left the hall with Ozpin following suit, leaving Teams RWBY and JNPR with a reassuring wink.

They made their way to the edge of Beacon's grounds, the air-docks eerily quiet in the morning light.

"As usual for this sort of thing I've ordered the pad shut down for the day, no one in or out except the inspector." said Glynda.

"Good. I take it he should be arriving shortly?"

"Yes, any minute now in fact."

The two of them waited until a bullhead arrived and landed on the pad in front of them. The door of the tilt-jet opened and a fairly young man walked out. He was of average build with medium-length brown hair, an almost square jaw, and a stern expression on his face. He wore a black trench coat with a pair of blue jeans, sneakers, and a business shirt with a tie. Ozpin and Goodwitch approached the man as he walked forward and extended his hand.

Ozpin shook the man's hand. "You must be the inspector from the Council, welcome to Beacon Academy. Would you like someone to take your coat?"

"Professor Ozpin, it's an honor to finally meet you, and no that won't be necessary. I'm Inspector Casey and, as you said, I'm here on orders from the Vale Council."

"Please, come with us, we'll talk in my office."

"Of course, let us begin." said Casey as he took a scroll tablet out from under his coat.

* * *

It took only a short while for the three of them to make it to Beacon Tower and up to Ozpin's clockwork office. Inspector Casey looked around with a sense of intrigue as he took in the unique aesthetic Ozpin had chosen. The Headmaster poured some coffee into his mug before turning to Casey.

"Would you like some coffee Inspector Casey?"

"Yes, please."

Ozpin poured a mug for the Inspector and handed it to him before sitting down at his desk.

"I'm sure you're aware, Professor Ozpin, I'm not here for pleasantries. I came here with a job to do and I intend to get started straight away."

"Straight to the point I see, an admirable quality. What exactly would you like to see while you're here?"

"I need a detailed look at all of your facilities and I will need to sit in on one class for each of your professors." said Casey, taking notes on his scroll.

"We expected as much and prepared accordingly. Shall we?" Ozpin said, getting up.

"I'm sure everything will be up to your expectations." said Professor Goodwitch tensely.

The trio made their way over to the elevator; Goodwitch gave Ozpin a worried look behind the Inspector's back. Ozpin responded with a nod, a reassuring smile, and another sip of his ever-present coffee mug.

"Professor Ozpin, if I may ask, where does that other elevator lead? I didn't see a second elevator on the way up."

"That elevator leads to my private quarters Mr. Casey."

"I see."

"Would you like to inspect that floor as well?" Ozpin asked calmly.

"No, that won't be necessary."

Professor Goodwitch was screaming and pulling her hair out internally. They had nothing to hide, she had already moved all of her things out of their shared apartment that morning, but she wished the Headmaster wouldn't be so nonchalant about it. The three of them continued to make their way down the tower, floor-by-floor, with Casey taking notes everywhere he went. Goodwitch couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when their brief visit to the communication floor went without incident. The trio eventually made their way to the library where the quiet only added to the tension in the air.

"You have quite the impressive library here at Beacon." said Casey.

"Only the best for our students." said Ozpin.

"Is **that** normally permitted though."

They all looked up to find Sun Wukong and a couple of other Monkey-Faunus hanging upside-down from the second floor railing, reading or playing games on their scrolls.

"We understand that some students, namely certain types of Faunus, prefer alternative…'seating' arrangements and try to accommodate them as best as we can." said Ozpin.

Goodwitch was furious and immediately flipped all three of them over the railing and onto the second floor with a wave of her hand.

"Although I'm not quite sure how our chief disciplinarian feels about it."

I…see."

Professor Goodwitch stomped up to the second floor and berated the three students for their rambunctious behavior. Ozpin looked up at the unfolding situation with a hint of amusement.

"Professor Ozpin, I'd like to move on now if you don't mind."

"Of course. Glynda, shall we get going?"

Professor Goodwitch quickly made her way back down as the Ozpin and Casey began to take their leave. The Inspector quirked his eyebrow slightly upon hearing Ozpin address her in such a familiar way but waved it off.

"Professor, I would like to have another look at the Cross Continental Transmit Tower, if you don't mind."

Ozpin raised his eyebrows. "Very well Inspector."

* * *

The three of them returned to Beacon Tower and immediately went to the communication floor. The receptionist greeted them upon their arrival. Goodwitch figured the Inspector would want to see the CCT and asked the young woman the day before to be at her desk rather than use the automated holo-greeter. The Headmistress thought they were in the clear when the inspector left it alone earlier, she never thought he would surprise them later on by requesting a closer look.

Inspector Casey moved towards the central terminal.

"May I?"

Professor Ozpin nodded. Casey sat at the terminal and began typing away. Ozpin looked on calmly while Goodwitch watched with worry.

"I understand that a criminal broke in here and tampered with the computers." said Casey.

"Yes, a mysterious criminal known only as 'Queen' sent someone from her organization to send us a message. She most likely wanted us to know that we are not safe from her forces anywhere." said Ozpin grimly.

"And it would seem she has proven her point, wouldn't you agree?"

Goodwitch's eyes widened before narrowing in anger. "Excuse me but how dare you imply that-"

"Glynda!" Ozpin said sternly. "You have a point Inspector, but I would like to remind you that this is a testament to the skill of our enemies not the incompetence of my institution."

Goodwitch crossed her arms. "And I'd like to remind you that it was General Ironwood who provided security for the CCT that night. If anything, he's the incompetent one."

Ozpin quirked an eyebrow at his companion's statement. Inspector Casey narrowed his eyes before simply nodding as he stood up from the desk.

"I'm done here, but I'd like to speak to some of the other people responsible for operation and maintenance."

Ozpin nodded before turning to Glynda with a furrowed brow. She simply rolled her eyes and followed the Inspector to the elevator.

* * *

Casey took his time going through the other floors of the tower essential to its networking capabilities, meticulously taking notes on his scroll along the way. Professor Goodwitch tensely kept her eyes on him at all times while Ozpin casually let him have the run of the place. When Casey turned away to speak to some of the tower employees, Ozpin turned to Glynda and discretely pulled her off to the side. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. He could see the concern in them and how she was looking to him for guidance. He simply smiled and nodded, causing her to sigh in relief. She knew her stress had to have been very apparent for Ozpin to go that far for her in the middle of the day, and at the risk of drawing the public eye no less. He let her go once she had calmed down and the two of them stepped back out just in time to see Casey finish up and turn back to them.

"I'm satisfied here, what's next?"

"How about we break for lunch?" said the Headmaster.

With all in agreement they headed off to the dining hall. Ozpin and Goodwitch got their lunch and sat down at a secluded table while Casey went through the kitchen, his evaluation of the cooking staff giving his hosts a chance to relax and enjoy their meal.

"I just don't understand how you can be so calm about this."

"Why wouldn't I be? We've had school inspections from the Council before."

"You know as well as I do that this is not just a routine inspection. The Council really has it out for you in light of recent events, not to mention Ironwood's involvement."

"Whatever James does is his business, it will not bring down me or this academy."

"You place too much faith in him sir; he doesn't think like you do, see the world like you do."

"That may be but-"

"FOOD FIGHT!"

They turned and saw a student across the room, standing on a table with a fruit pie plastered on his face and another in his hand. Ozpin looked on and chuckled as food started flying. Goodwitch snapped and, with a few waves of her hands, returned the airborne food and the students back to where they started. The entire room went silent as everyone took note of the fact that the Deputy Headmistress was there. They all went back to their lunch quietly as Ozpin chuckled once again. The Headmaster got up and walked over to the students that started the food fight and began chatting with them amicably. Goodwitch got back to her own meal and was joined shortly by Inspector Casey who finally got back from the kitchen.

"I see the things people say about your disciplinary skills are true Professor." He looked over at Ozpin. "Does he normally interact so closely with his students?"

"When he can find the time. He'll often take walks around the grounds before finding some students or another to sit down and chat with."

"I see." Casey made some more notes on his scroll.

Goodwitch narrowed her eyes. "What about you Inspector? You're fairly new to this line of work, someone we're unfamiliar with. You wouldn't happen to have it out for Professor Ozpin, would you?"

"No, of course not. Why would I?"

"The Council isn't exactly pleased with him right now and I know full well that this sudden inspection is not a coincidence and you seem to be doing your job **very** thoroughly for a newbie."

Casey closed his scroll. "Professor Goodwitch, I am a professional. I'm here to do a job and I will do that job to the best of my ability. I don't know what is going on between Professor Ozpin and the Council and I have a great deal of respect for the man, but I will not let either influence my report."

Goodwitch let out an exasperated sigh. "If you say so."

"You seem awfully concerned for your Headmaster's position Professor. Do you respect him that much?"

"Of course I do. Ozpin made Beacon what it is. If not for him the team-based format we have now wouldn't even exist, Hunters wouldn't even be what they are today. It would be an insult to Hunter Academies as a whole if he were removed from his position."

"Are you sure that's the only reason?"

"Well, I'm also looking out for my job of course." she said stiffly. "I've invested quite a lot of work into this institution; it would be a shame to let it all go to waste."

Casey narrowed his eyes. "I see."

"I trust you to are getting along."

Goodwitch and Casey looked up to see Ozpin walk up and join them.

"I was just asking Professor Goodwitch what her opinion of you as headmaster is."

Ozpin quirked an eyebrow. "Oh really, well I hope she had nice things to say about me." he said jokingly.

The trio continued their lunch while discussing the more mundane aspects of the school's administration. The occasional student came by only to be shooed away Goodwitch before Ozpin immediately asked them to tell him what was on their minds. Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose as she attempted to keep the conversation going until the end of lunch while Casey noted how Ozpin prioritized his students over a Council inspection.

* * *

"I'm looking forward to seeing Beacon's legendary teaching staff in action for the first time." said Casey as they walked towards the lecture halls.

"I'm sure you will find their performance to be more than satisfactory Inspector." said Ozpin.

"I'm sure I will. So, where do we begin?"

They made their way to _Grimm Habitats and Environmental Studies_ which was taught by Professor Peach. The azure-eyed woman was dressed in black cargo-pants with pink pouches, a pink belt, and black combat boots. On top she had a pink business shirt that was only half tucked in and had the top two buttons undone. Over the shirt she wore an open black tactical vest covered in spare magazines and survival gear. Her strawberry-blonde hair was tied back in a high pony-tail save for the messy bangs in front of her forehead.

"Now class, today we will be covering territorial interactions between Creatures of Grimm and normal wildlife." she began her lesson.

Casey seemed impressed by how informative she was and how she engaged the whole class during the lesson. She was a bit of a ditzy woman but she kept the students busy and they legitimately enjoyed the class.

"As you can see, Professor Peach is one of the finest educators you can have at a Hunter Academy. She is one of Remnant's foremost experts on the Creatures of Grimm and one of the few brave enough to study them up close." explained Professor Goodwitch.

"Very impressive." responded the Inspector.

After the class had concluded, Casey talked with Peach directly and asked her some general questions about her job and about the school. When he was finished he followed Ozpin and Goodwitch to Professor Port's _Grimm Studies_ class. His eyes widened when he saw a rather large cage, the contents of which were obscured by shadows, in the center of the lecture hall. Professor Goodwitch flinched at the sight as her mind seethed with anger. She had specifically instructed Port **not** to have live Grimm in class today. Ozpin raised his eyebrows before putting on an amused smirk. The gray-haired, mustached professor walked in clad in a dark red suit with a matching cravat. The class began to fill with transfer students from other academies who were visiting for the Vytal Festival. When everyone was settled in Port began his lesson jovially.

"Today we will be reviewing how to end a battle in a single strike. As you all know, weaker Creatures of Grimm can easily be felled with but a single blow. Why, I remember a time in my youth when I-"

And so began one of Professor Port's long ramblings about his glory days as a manly paragon among Huntsmen. At this point, many students either tuned the Professor out or downright fell asleep.

"Does he always tell these long stories in class?" asked Casey.

"Unfortunately." responded Goodwitch.

"Hmm, I've always found his tales to be quite fascinating; truly good examples of what a Huntsman is capable of, even when they are just starting out and have yet to be formally trained." said Ozpin.

As Port went on with his story, the drowsy atmosphere in the room became more and more palpable. Even Professor Goodwitch had long since succumbed to the temptation of sleep and was currently resting her head on Ozpin's shoulder as she leaned against him. Ozpin pretended not to notice and focused on Port's story even as Inspector Casey also began to doze off.

"Pst, hey Sun." said Neptune. "Check out the lovebird professors. Still think they're just friends?"

Sun looked over at Ozpin and Goodwitch as the latter seemed to flinch in her sleep. "I still think you're crazy, but they do look good together."

By this point, Casey was just about sound asleep when he was suddenly awakened by a snarling roar. His eyes snapped open to see a small Ursa in the center of the room and an aqua-haired boy facing it with gun in hand. He instinctively reached for the weapon concealed in his coat but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked over and saw Ozpin shake his head calmly. Everyone in the room was awake now and watching intently, even Goodwitch who now had a few locks of hair out of place and her glasses slightly crooked.

"So Neptune," said Professor Port. "Are you ready to give us a demonstration!?"

"I'm ready." said Neptune as he converted his railgun into a glaive.

The Ursa growled.

"Kill the Ursa in a single strike!"

Neptune and the Ursa charged each other abruptly, the Ursa raising its claw to deliver a killing strike. Neptune dropped down into a back-slide before slicing the Ursa's head clean off with his electrified weapon. He propped himself up with his shoulders while still sliding before popping up off the floor and landing on his feet with a stumble.

"Well, how'd I do?"

Port brought a hand to his chin in mock contemplation. "Hmm, you're landing needs a bit of work but job well done my boy."

Neptune took a bow and returned to his seat. The class applauded and the rest of Team SSSN gave their friend pats on the back for a job well done. Ozpin smiled as Casey nodded in approval.

"Now, I on the other hand would have-" Port began but was cut off by the bell. "Oh, it seems that's all the time we have for today. Don't forget to read the assigned text and I will see you all tomorrow."

The students filed out of the room, eager to leave the boring and boisterous professor behind.

Casey turned to Ozpin seriously. "That was a bit reckless."

"Professor Port is one of the most experienced Huntsmen in the world and a wise mentor to many of our students. I assure you the students were never in any danger."

Casey gave a stern nod before walking over to Port to speak with him personally.

"That idiot, he'll be lucky if this doesn't backfire on us. I specifically told him not to bring out any Grimm today."

"I'm sure Peter knew exactly what he was doing."

"Hmph. I didn't do anything…strange while I was asleep did I?" asked Goodwitch as she fixed her hair and glasses.

"No, nothing at all." said Ozpin with a knowing smile.

Casey got back to them and they headed to _History of Remnant_ which was taught by Doctor Oobleck. The green-haired man in disheveled business attire rushed into the room and began his lesson immediately. Casey followed along as best as he could as Oobleck zipped around the room in a blur. The Professor's feet didn't really seem to move as he seemingly slid across the floor in a caffeine-fueled frenzy. The class flew by as quickly as it had begun and Professor Goodwitch had to use her semblance to stop her hyperactive coworker from leaving before Casey could talk to him. When Casey was finished, rather quicker than usual, they headed for the amphitheater for _First Year Combat_.

There was a platinum-blonde woman with sharp aquamarine eyes standing center-stage. She wore an aqua-colored suit and tie with a steel-gray blouse underneath. She seemed rather uncomfortable in the business attire but was tolerating it for the sake of professionalism. In her hand she held what appeared to be a staff that was collapsed into a wand. She spotted Professor Goodwitch walking up to her out of the eye that wasn't covered up by her hair.

"Professor Cobalt, thank you for covering for me today."

"No problem Glyn. I guess you'll be the one teaching this class?" She looked over at Ozpin and Casey. "Is that the inspector from the Council. He's kinda scary looking for someone so young."

"Yes well, he's a bit of a handful."

Goodwitch got herself settled in as a mix of local and transfer students filed into the stands.

"We'll be doing single duels today in team order. We'll start with Team RWBY pairing off with Team SSSN."

Neptune gulped as he noticed that karma and a hint of unspoken anger had made Professor Goodwitch pair him up with Yang Xiao Long, Team RWBY's most aggressive fighter. The lesson began and Inspector Casey took note of the scythe-wielding girl clad in a red cloak and a black combat-skirt. He turned to Ozpin with a questioning look.

"Isn't that girl a little young to be attending Beacon?"

"Ruby Rose is a young woman of prodigious talent and unquestionable character. As such I saw fit to allow her to attend Beacon two years early."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"I think the results speak for themselves." Ozpin said, pointing out how Ruby was more than holding her own against Sun. "She has shown incredible capability as a leader and has managed to put Team RWBY at the top of their class."

"I see. I'll trust your judgment then." said Casey as Ruby won the match.

The Headmaster and the Inspector continued to observe Team RWBY and Team SSSN's duels. Scarlet and Sage gave Weiss and Blake a run for their money and just barely lost their matches. The whole class then began chattering and laughing as they watched Yang throw and pummel Neptune like a ragdoll. The duels continued without incident until Casey finally decided to ask Ozpin a question that had been on his mind for some time now.

"Professor Ozpin, I've been wondering, what exactly is your relationship with Professor Goodwitch?"

"Hmm, now why would you want to know that?"

"I'm concerned by the thought that your interaction with one another may be somewhat…less than professional."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed slightly. "I assure you that Professor Goodwitch and I operate on a purely professional level on public grounds."

"And behind closed doors?"

"Well, that would be private information. We have our personal security to consider."

Casey narrowed his own eyes. "If I had inspected your private quarters earlier, would I have found anything to make me worry?"

Ozpin smirked. "Not today, not ever. I assure you, there is nothing in our lives that interferes with our duty to Remnant."

Casey returned the smirk. "I understand."

The duo was rejoined by Professor Goodwitch once her lesson had ended. They remained in the amphitheater to observe Professor Cobalt's performance as a combat instructor before moving on to the remaining professors.

* * *

They wrapped up the inspection by having dinner after Goodwitch showed off the efficiency and severity of academy detention, much to Team CRDL's chagrin. They were passing by the dorms, escorting Casey back to the air-dock, when they heard a curious clanging noise coming from the dorms.

"What is that sound?" asked Casey as he made his way towards the dorms.

Ozpin and Goodwitch didn't know what to think of it and guided Casey to the roof where the sound seemed to originate from. When they arrived they found Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos in the middle of a fierce sparring session.

Goodwitch ground her teeth. "_I'm going to kill Mr. Winchester the next time I see him._" she thought.

The sparring match continued until the two partners came into a deadlock with their blades. Jaune, in an attempt to break out of the struggle, swept Pyrrha's feet and caused her to fall forward, bringing both of them to the ground. The two sweaty, panting teenagers took a moment to stare at each other and the position they were in.

"Ah-hem." Goodwitch cleared her throat.

Jaune and Pyrrha looked up and then back at each other before breaking apart and standing up, each with a furious blush on their face.

"P-Professor Goodwitch!?" stammered Jaune.

"T-this isn't, this isn't what it looks like!" said Pyrrha.

"I think it's exactly what it looks like." stated Ozpin. "As you can see Inspector, we have some students at this academy who are so determined that they train until even this late at night."

Casey ran a hand across his chin. "Very impressive, I had no idea that the students here worked so hard. I'm sure they'll make fine Hunters once they graduate."

Casey turned and went back down the stairs, Ozpin followed with a wink. Jaune and Pyrrha let out huge sighs of relief but stiffened up when Goodwitch came up to them.

"I owe you two an apology for the other day, I'm sure that conversation was very uncomfortable for you." she said sincerely. "But still, keep what I said in mind!" she snapped.

Jaune and Pyrrha went back to being beet-red.

"Well, as you were. And don't stay up to late, you need your rest." said Goodwitch as she left.

Jaune and Pyrrha fell to the floor and burst out laughing, glad that the awkward situation was finally over. As the Inspector was walking back through the halls of the dorm, he heard the bark of a dog. He and the professors turned to see Ruby and a black and white corgi standing beside them. Goodwitch was already seething internally at the sight, Casey quirked an eyebrow, and Ozpin simply sipped his evening tea.

"Umm, hi…professors. Sorry, Zwei wanted to go out for a walk."

*_bark_*

"Is that a pet?" asked Casey. "I didn't think Beacon allowed pets."

"Hey, Zwei's not just an ordinary house-pet." Ruby said, somewhat insulted. "He's a bona fide, trained Hunting Dog; he's a valuable member of Team RWBY. And he's only here 'cause my dad's away and hasn't come to pick him up yet."

Casey turned to Ozpin.

"I allowed the dog to stay based on his usefulness. I'm sure Taiyang Xiao Long knew what he was doing."

Casey sighed. "Very well."

The three of them started to leave when Casey looked back.

"And Miss Rose." Ruby looked up. "Good job standing your ground just now. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful Huntress one day."

Ruby smiled and waved as the trio walked towards the stairs.

Ozpin and Glynda finally made it to the air-dock to see the Inspector off.

"It was an honor to meet you Professor Ozpin, and you as well Professor Goodwitch. I'm happy to say that I have a good report to give to the Council."

"It was a pleasure meeting you as well Mr. Casey. I hope you will visit my academy again someday." said Ozpin, smirking.

"I'll look forward to it."

Casey boarded the bullhead, Ozpin and Goodwitch watched as it took off.

"Well, he was…interesting." said Goodwitch.

* * *

Ozpin and Glynda continued their evening by returning Glynda's personal effects to their shared apartment. Everything from clothes to books to make-up. The last item to be put back was a small, black velvet box. She placed it on the dresser and left it open. She admired the contents of the box, a pair of matching gold rings, before joining Ozpin and taking out a book to read.

"Thank you." she said.

"For what?"

"For earlier today, you calmed me down when the pressure was starting to get to me."

"How are you feeling now?"

"Much better now that the inspection is over. Having the Council out for our careers like this has been eating at me for a while now. Any potential replacements for us would probably be more concerned with working the Council's agenda rather than protecting the world."

"Well, all the more reason why we train our students to think freely; they're to be defenders of the world, not instruments of the government. You seemed fairly upset with James today as well."

Glynda sighed. "Can we not talk about James Ironwood in the bedroom, it'll ruin the peaceful atmosphere."

"Glynda." Ozpin said, looking up from his scroll.

"Start talking about the Good General and a battleship just might show up right outside our window to show off another abominable war machine for governments, criminals, and private security to empty their wallets purchasing."

"Glynda, why are you so angry? Tell me, what's on your mind?"

"I talked to him the night before the breach, I told him to trust you, told him he was a good person who does what he thinks is best for the people. And how does he repay us? By making you fall out of favor with the Vale Council, that's how."

"James can do as he pleases, if he really wants to bring me down it won't be that easy. Besides, you said yourself that he's only doing what he thinks is best."

"Yes but, like I said earlier, he doesn't see the world like you do."

Ozpin decided to drop the conversation at that point, he could tell Glynda was getting tired of it.

"On a lighter note," she began. "You seemed to take a shine to that inspector today."

"He seemed like a good person, maybe someone we can trust in the future. He certainly seemed trustworthy to me at least."

"You were acting far too reckless today. What if he turned out to not be so trustworthy?"

"Now Glynda, you may not believe me but I am an excellent judge of character." said Ozpin, wryly.

"Yes well…that may be true but you still made me worry, far too much in fact. I simply don't understand how you can stay so calm about everything."

"Years of practice Glynda."

"Well you could stand to act more concerned from time to time." she said, turning away.

Ozpin put his scroll away with a mischievous smile spreading across his face. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and brought his face next to hers.

"I'm sorry I made you worry." he whispered in her ear.

Glynda's face flushed. "W-well you…you should be sorry. I work my ass off to keep this place running and all you seem to do is sit there sipping coffee half the time." she said, breaking away from him.

Ozpin chuckled at the sight of the normally stern woman now red as a tomato. "Now now, I don't think I'm completely useless."

"You're right, you're great at causing trouble. Tell me something, I fell asleep on you in Port's class earlier didn't I?"

"You might have."

"And you did nothing about it? If Port had seen us like that I'd never hear the end of it, he'd never let me live it down."

"You looked so comfortable though." Ozpin said with a laugh.

Glynda blushed again. "Rrrr, I'm going to sleep. Face the other way." she said slamming her book shut.

Ozpin sighed and laid down facing away from Glynda who practically slammed her head into her pillow.

"Good night Glynda."

No response, little did he know that Glynda had actually laid down facing him. Ozpin suddenly found a pair of hands on his shoulders, a thigh on his hip, and...something soft pressing against his upper back. His breathing hitched and his body went stiff as a board. Glynda put a hand on his cheek to feel it burning against her fingers.

She brought her lips up to his ear and whispered, "See, I can get you flustered too."

* * *

Dedicated to Monty Oum who, sadly, passed away during the time this chapter was being written. You were one of the most creative people in the world and an inspiration to all of us. The series we all love and the community that has been built off of it are all thanks to you. You will be greatly missed but will live on through RWBY and through all of your fans. Thank you for everything you've done and everything you've given us. We will keep moving forward.

* * *

**A/N: So what did you all think, feedback is always appreciated. Anyone want more pillow talk? More shenanigans as Neptune tries to prove to Sun that OzGlyn is a thing? More of Glynda's feud with Ironwood? Lemme know. I hope you all enjoyed the story and I'll do my best to continue bringing you quality content. Have a nice day. **


	3. Chapter 3: Valentine's Day

**Wow, has it been THAT long? Well I'm glad to be back. Sorry for the long wait, this chapter was supposed to be completed on Valentine's Day...oh yeah, happy belated Valentine's Day. Instead, I ended up starting this on V-Day, and then school pretty much destroyed any time I had to work on this. Well the important thing is that Chapter 3 is finally here. I hope you all enjoy it. **

* * *

Chapter 3: Valentine's Day

Glynda Goodwitch stood outside of her office with an interesting dilemma. The morning had started off normally enough, she had awoken Ozpin and they had done the morning rounds together. It had been like any other day until Ozpin placed a heart-shaped box of chocolates in her hand before heading up to his office. She had looked at the box confusedly before realizing its significance, it was Valentine's Day. That alone wouldn't be much of an issue; however, upon arriving she found another, significantly larger box of chocolates waiting outside her door. The fact that she had never received such a thing any other year, along with all of the visitors for the Vytal Festival, could only mean one thing.

"_Ironwood._"

Glynda unlocked her office and brought the box inside, noticing how it was the length of her forearm.

"_Someone's overcompensating!_"

Knowing she would most likely have to deal with the General later that day, Glynda started to mentally prepare herself as she got to work.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the dining hall, the students were starting their own day with breakfast. Team RWBY, Team JNPR, and Team SSSN sat together, chatting as they ate. Sage and Scarlet were just happy to be able to sit down with the group, they were usually too busy settling in to be able to do so. Weiss and Neptune were feeding each other pieces of fruit, much to Ruby's dismay as she was sitting right next to them. She managed somewhat ignore it by being in a contest with Nora to see how many syrup-drenched pancakes they could eat. Nora was also sitting just a little bit closer to Ren than usual, a fact that didn't go unnoticed. Yang considered teasing the ginger-haired girl about it but figured her green-clad partner would just calmly diffuse the situation. Yang instead decided to turn her attention to the pair next to her.

"So Sun, you and Blake been up to any monkey business lately?"

Sun practically choked as everyone else groaned at Yang's poor attempt at humor.

Blake rolled her eyes and retorted, "Yang, I know you're jealous of both of us but do you really need to be so childish?"

"Hah, why would I be jealous?

"Please, Sun has his abs, and as for me; well, we all know you have a thing for cat ears."

Yang blushed slightly, the rest of the table laughing at the rare sight of the boisterous blonde getting flustered. Knowing that she would get nowhere with the Faunus couple, she turned her attention to Jaune and Pyrrha instead.

"_Easy targets._" she thought. "So Vomit-Boy, how far have you and P-Money gone so far?"

The duo's faces flushed as they stammered to find a response.

"Aww c'mon," Yang continued, "you've been together for what, like a month now? Surely you wouldn't mind filling us in on all the juicy details."

"Y-Yang, enough." said Pyrrha, regaining her composure. "Jaune and I aren't doing anything inappropriate like that."

Jaune managed to calm himself down shortly after. "Y-yeah, n-nothing inappropriate, no juicy details; I mean seriously, Pyrrha and I haven't even kissed yet so-"

The whole table fell silent and stared blankly at Jaune as he slowly turned beet-red again.

"I-I'm just gonna…go." he said as he got up and left.

"Wait Jaune, I didn't…I'm sorry." Yang called after him. Pyrrha got up to follow. "Pyrrha I-"

"I know, you were just joking around. I'll let him know you're sorry." she said before heading for the door.

Yang laid her arms on the table and rested her face in them. "What have I done?"

"If you feel like tormenting people over their relationships then why don't you tell us what your Valentine's plans are?" asked an irate Weiss from across the table.

"What's there to tell, I got about a million cards and letters in my locker this morning; not surprising, all things considered." she said, gesturing to the ample cleavage revealed by her light-brown jacket. "I suppose I'll have to settle for going out with **one** of them tonight."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I've got my own fair share of pointless love notes, Neptune and I are going to destroy them later."

"Because that sounds like a wonderful bonding experience." said Blake, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Oh you'd be surprised how much fun destroying junk mail is." chimed Neptune.

Meanwhile, Pyrrha caught up to Jaune outside of the dining hall.

"Jaune, wait up."

Jaune turned to his girlfriend. "Oh, hey Pyrrha."

"Look, don't get so down, Yang said she was sorry."

"I know, she was just joking. It's not what she said, it's what I said."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we've been together for almost a month and a half now and I still haven't even kissed you"

Pyrrha looked at him with worry. "Jaune, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay. I just, I just want our first kiss to be perfect Pyrrha."

Pyrrha put a hand on his shoulder. "And I'm sure that when it happens, it will be; besides, it's Valentine's Day. What better day for a first kiss?"

Jaune looked up to see Pyrrha's reassuring smile.

She gave her boyfriend a light slap on the back. "Now come on, we don't want to be late for Doctor Oobleck's class."

* * *

Professor Ozpin was in a good mood, he was in a very good mood. As luck would have it, powering through enormous amounts of extra paperwork for days on end had put the Beacon Headmaster weeks ahead of schedule. He had filled out a few new documents and was now free for the rest of the day. With that in mind, he grabbed his cane and coffee mug and left his office to embark on one of his fabled walks around campus.

Ozpin decided to stop by Glynda's office on his way out but noticed she wasn't there.

"_Probably out responding to some catastrophe or another around campus._"

Something caught his eye as he peered through the window, a rather large heart-shaped box of chocolates. It was far more extravagant than the simple one he had gotten for her.

"_Why do I get the feeling I'll be hearing a nice long rant later today?_"

With nothing else to do there, Ozpin continued his walk. He decided to head towards the lecture halls to see if he could sit in on a morning class.

"_Bartholomew gives a rather interesting lecture on Valentine's Day._"

His mind now made up, Ozpin made his way to Doctor Oobleck's classroom, arriving just as the green-haired man was beginning his lesson.

"Settle down now class so that we may begin." said Oobleck as he noticed the Headmaster's presence. "Ah, and I see we have a special guest today."

All of the students turned their heads towards the back of the room, some of them visibly tensing upon seeing the man in charge of the whole school.

"Please, don't mind me, I'm just sitting in on this lecture like the rest of you."

Oobleck nodded and continued at his usual lightning pace. "Now, as you all know, today is Valentine's Day, a day celebrated throughout Remnant as a time of romance and companionship. Can anyone give me an example of this, what is it we typically do on this day? Pyrrha?"

"Spend time with the person who means the most to you."

"Weiss?"

"Flatter the object of your affection with petty gifts like flowers and chocolate."

"Yang?"

"Stay home with each other and have tons of se-"

"Moving on. These are all things that we do on Valentine's Day, but who can tell me why we do them? What is the historical reason for this holiday's existence and romantic focus?"

The Hunters-in-training all looked to one another, shaking their heads and shrugging their shoulders in confusion. All were lost in thought except for Ruby and Yang, the former of which was now raising her hand.

"Ruby, do you have the answer?"

"It's because of the hero, Saint Valentine."

Many of the students furrowed their brows, not knowing what she was talking about; however, Ozpin and Yang were smiling. The story of Saint Valentine was among the many that Yang had read to her sister before bed when they were younger.

Doctor Oobleck looked up with a smile of his own. "That is correct."

Oobleck had gained a great respect for Ruby following their mission to Mountain Glenn a couple of months prior. He had seen first-hand that she was both a capable leader and a young woman who knew exactly what being a Huntress was all about.

"Valentine Rosewood, better known as Saint Valentine, was a self-made Huntsman who lived in a small village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Vale." Oobleck continued. "He was known for using a longbow that fired arrows shining with brilliant light, believed to be his Semblance which possessed purifying attributes. Eventually, his legend had spread to the Kingdom and the village was put under the protection of Vale in exchange for Valentine's service. Valentine was easily the most talented Huntsman of his time, slaying many dangerous Grimm, and when the village was expanded into a large town, it was named Rosewood in his honor."

Weiss was now raising her hand. "Excuse me Pro-, Doctor, but what does this have to do with Valentine's Day?"

"Nothing."

"Weiss quirked her eyebrow. "Then wha-"

"Apart from his skill as a Huntsman Saint Valentine was known for one more thing, his undying love for the village chief's daughter, Lady Rosa. No one today is certain of the details of their romance, but what is known is that their love was celebrated in the village long before it was assimilated by Vale. Valentine's Day is said to be the date of their anniversary, recognized as a national holiday after his defeat of a Goliath that threatened to break down the walls of the Kingdom. The holiday was then adopted by the other Kingdoms over time as a result of cultural diffusion. Any questions?"

Many of the students stared blankly, having missed about half of the Professor's rant. Ruby's eyes were practically bulging with enthusiasm, she had not heard the part where Saint Valentine killed a Goliath before. Ozpin simply smiled at the recounting of one of his favorite pieces of history.

A few students asked questions that Oobleck hastily answered until the bell rang. Ozpin got up to follow the students filing out of the room until he noticed a downtrodden-looking Jaune lagging behind.

"Something troubling you, Mr. Arc?"

Jaune practically jumped out of his own skin. "Oh, uh…hello, Professor Ozpin. No, no, I'm alright, really."

Ozpin frowned slightly. "Well, okay. Just remember that you can always come to me if you need anything."

With that, the two parted ways.

* * *

Professor Goodwitch was in a bad mood, she was in a very bad mood. Her day had practically just started and she was already darting around campus dealing with the myriad problems that had sprung up like weeds. Complaints about a lack of hot water in the showers, squabbles between teammates in the dorms, pranks being pulled around campus, and a group of scorned girls setting up a love-note bonfire were all problems she had had to deal with. She rubbed her temples, exhausted, as she returned to her office. She had to go over her lesson plan for the day but quickly found herself distracted by the large pink heart on her desk.

"_Just when I had almost forgotten about it._"

She slumped in her chair, wishing General Ironwood would just show up so that she could get the inevitable argument over with.

"_Ozpin usually goes for walks to clear his head. Got some time before my first class, maybe I should give it a try._"

Goodwitch grabbed her scroll and left, looking through her lesson plan as she walked. She left Beacon Tower, almost running into Sun and Neptune on her way out, and started down the path through the campus gardens.

"Dude, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Neptune.

"That you're crazy and whatever it is is probably a bad idea?"

"We should totally snoop around in Goodwitch's office while she's not there, maybe find some evidence."

"Yep, thought so, you're crazy."

"C'mon Sun, this'll be great, she's probably heading to class and won't be coming back for a while anyway."

"How would you know?"

Neptune held up a bronze badge. "Dude, we were junior detectives."

Sun pouted. "Alright fine." He sighed. "I'm team leader, how do I let you talk me into this stuff?"

"Cause it's tons of fun?" Neptune said with a thumbs up.

The two transfer students made their way up to Goodwitch's office. Neptune took a look through the window in the door.

"Whoa Dude, there's this huge heart-shaped chocolate box in there. How much you wanna bet it's from Ozpin?"

"We don't know that, could be a secret admirer. I mean she is pretty much…y'know."

"Hot?"

"Yeah that."

"Well, let's find out who it's from then." Neptune started fiddling with the lock.

"Don't you think you should let me do that; I'm the one who's good at stealing stuff y'know, breaking and entering kinda comes with the territory."

"Oh…right." Neptune said as he moved over.

"Just keep watch alright."

"Got it."

Sun started picking the lock, glancing through the window occasionally out of curiosity. "Hey man, I think I see another chocolate box on her desk."

Neptune stole a quick look." Oh yeah you're right, that one's a lot smaller."

"You thinking what I'm thinking."

"Dick measuring contest?"

"Yep."

Sun continued to work the lock while Neptune kept watch, neither one of them aware of the silver-haired man approached from Neptune's side of the hall.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

Neptune whirled around and Sun practically jumped up to the ceiling. The Headmaster of Beacon stood before them with a hard look on his face.

"Professor Ozpin! We-we-we-we, we were trying to see if we could talk to Professor Goodwitch…about something, right Sun?"

"R-right, a-and I looked, through the window…she's not in there."

"Right…not in her office…sooo, we should go or, we'll be late, yeah."

The transfer students shuffled away from the office, practically shaking in their proverbial boots. Ozpin's stern expression turned into a mischievous smirk when they had turned away.

"By the way, I don't think those chocolate boxes have names on them."

Sun and Neptune froze, their faces turning white as a sheet. Ozpin merely chuckled and moved on. The two turned to each other on the edge of tears once the Headmaster had gone.

"How did he do that?" asked Sun.

"I dunno man but that was scary."

"Seriously, what is with that guy?"

"I'm starting to think he just loves messing with peoples' heads for his own amusement."

With nothing else to do, Sun and Neptune left Beacon Tower and headed to their next class.

* * *

Meanwhile, Professor Goodwitch's day had taken a turn for the better. The walk she took that morning really helped clear her head of any stressful thoughts.

"_And all these years I thought he just did it to slack off. I'm doing this more often_."

Her classes went by quickly. She made note of which students had made progress and which ones still needed improvement. The morning lessons were fairly uneventful, although Goodwitch would have preferred it if the upper-class boys spent more time sparring and less time trying, and failing, to hit on Coco during class. Nonetheless, she managed to survive until lunch.

She sat at a secluded table in the dining hall; she made a point to eat lunch here more often after the massive food fight that teams RWBY and JNPR had a few months ago. She sat quietly and ate, reading an e-book on her scroll while never ceasing to watch the students like a hawk.

"Mind if I join you?"

Goodwitch looked up to find Ozpin, lunch in hand, standing next to her table. "I'm surprised you're out of your office so early." she said as he sat down.

"Well, as it turns out, there are some benefits to having you bury my desk in paperwork for a month."

"Oh, maybe I should do it more often."

Ozpin and Glynda laughed together and continued talking. Halfway across the dining hall, teams RWBY, JNPR, and SSSN sat together and chatted away.

"Look at those two." said Neptune. "I'm telling you something's up between them."

"Oh, are you getting a bit delusional sweetie?" said Weiss, causing some at the table to cringe slightly.

"I have to agree with him, I was at Goodwitch's office too, definitely some Valentine's competition kinda stuff going on." added Sun.

"You broke into Goodwitch's office?" Blake chastised.

"W-well, yes, uh no, almost."

Blake's eyes narrowed as Ruby looked between them all, curious yet confused. "What are you all talking about?"

Scarlet answered, "Neptune's got this crazy idea that your Headmaster and his assistant are together, like, together together. He won't stop until he proves it."

"Betcha they fuck in the office when no one's around." said Yang suddenly.

Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha all sputtered. "**YANG!**" they all shouted at once.

"What, I'm just sayin'."

"That's just scandalous Yang." said Nora. "Ooh, how often do you think she puts that riding crop to use?"

"Nora," said Ren, "don't encourage her."

"So Rubes, whaddya say, wanna help us out?" asked Neptune.

"Well, I guess I wouldn't mind, I mean Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch do spend a lot of time together, and besides this actually sounds pretty fun." she answered quickly.

Sun and Neptune gave each other a thumbs up as Sage sighed and turned to the rest of Team RWBY. "Weiss, Blake," he said, "you two are going out to dinner with them later right?" The girls nodded. "Good, please keep them out of trouble."

* * *

The rest of lunch passed and eventually everyone found themselves in Professor Goodwitch's combat class. Professor Ozpin had returned to his office to look over some urgent new reports, something about a group of students setting off confetti bombs from the top of the CCT.

Goodwitch had set up 4v4 team battles today. Team SSSN had gone up against Team CRDL who actually managed to put up a decent fight. The bullies seemed to have finally learned their lesson and had been improving dramatically.

"_And all it took was a month of detention._" Goodwitch thought.

Currently, Team RWBY was squaring off against Team JNPR in what had quickly turned into a stalemate. Team RWBY was pressing a hard offensive, kept at a distance only by Nora's grenades, while Team JNPR put up a seemingly invincible defense thanks to Jaune and Pyrrha. On RWBY's side, the team was starting to tire out.

"We need to start making progress, Bumblebee." called Ruby, causing Blake and Yang to rush forward.

On JNPR's side, a rush was just what Jaune was waiting for. "Now!"

Pyrrha switched her sword, Miló, into rifle mode and began firing over her shield. Nora accompanied her with grenades as they both fired on Yang and Blake. Meanwhile, Ren rushed out and used his aura-enhanced martial arts to quickly disable them in all the confusion. Jaune, Pyrrha, and Nora moved up to Ren's position when he was done, it was now four against two.

"Weiss, Flash Freeze." called Ruby.

Weiss nodded and activated her 'Double-Time' Dust, a glowing yellow clock formed at her feet and began to turn faster and faster. When it was finished Weiss leaped into the air, rebounded off a glyph, and slammed right into the middle of Team JNPR in an icy explosion. Ruby vanished into a cloud of rose petals as she activated her Speed Semblance. Weiss was on Ren like a blizzard of slashes and managed to take him down before Nora clocked her on the back of the head with Magnhild, now in hammer mode.

Ruby appeared behind Nora and took her out with a quick swing of her scythe before vanishing again. She reappeared behind Jaune and Pyrrha and would have ended the match if Pyrrha hadn't forced them to the floor with her Polarity. She used her magnetic Semblance once more to flip them on their backs to defend against Ruby's follow-up attacks. Ruby kept swinging, even as Jaune and Pyrrha got back on their feet, but their defense was ironclad. Ruby swung wide, only for Pyrrha to catch Crescent Rose on her shield. Jaune rushed inside the scythe's effective range and slashed at Ruby, Pyrrha following suit shortly afterward.

"And that's the match." came the voice of Professor Goodwitch as she stepped onstage and the main lights came back on. "Ruby, Weiss, you two should have stuck together rather than splitting up towards the end. Excellent teamwork from all of you."

The two teams made their way back to their seats, Ruby commenting on their loss. "I just couldn't split up Jaune and Pyrrha no matter how hard I tried."

"Oh c'mon sis, you can't split up the Boy Blunder and Pumpkin Cereal, they're too cute together." said Yang.

Jaune and Pyrrha blushed as they all sat down next to Team SSSN.

"Hey Rubes," said Neptune, "sooo, Sun and I have a date to get ready for after class sooo, could you take care of that Goodwitch thing for us."

"Sure…wait, date, not dates, what're you going together?"

"Yeah, it's a double-date; Sun's idea, said it would be a good 'bonding experience' for our girlfriends."

Ruby stifled a laugh. "No offense but that sounds like a terrible idea."

"Yeah that's what I told him."

"Well good luck with that."

Class ended and the students crowded out the door, Jaune practically sprinting out of the room and Ruby moving just as fast towards Professor Goodwitch. Pyrrha began to pull away from Ren and Nora as they got to the door.

"You two go on ahead, I have something I'd like to discuss with the Professor."

Professor Goodwitch was making some last additions to her notes when she saw Ruby walking up to her.

"Something I can help you with, Ms. Rose?"

"Actually Professor Goodwitch there's just something I'm curious about."

Goodwitch raised an eyebrow, curious herself as to what the red-cloaked girl could want to know.

"See, I was wondering since it's Valentine's Day and all, and I always see you and Professor Ozpin together, I mean you do spend a lot of time together, anyway I was just wondering if you two were…y'know?"

Goodwitch stared at the girl for a few seconds before her words clicked. A furious blush spread from cheek to cheek before she sputtered out a response. "I-I-I, d-detention, before dinner, now leave, right now, and don't ever ask me personal questions like that again."

Ruby took off like a shot and blazed past Pyrrha, almost knocking her down in the process.

"_What was that all about?_" Pyrrha thought as she approached her teacher. "Excuse me Professor."

"Ah, Miss Nikos, _someone a little more sensible_, is there something I can help you with?"

"I actually had some questions about our performance today."

"Well, I really need to be getting back, can we talk in my office?"

"Of course, this was my last class today."

Ten minutes later, the pair was sitting down in Goodwitch's office. The Professor shuffled some papers around and turned her attention to her scarlet-haired student. Pyrrha took note of the Valentine's novelties on her desk.

"I didn't know you had some secret admirers Professor." she said, trying to make conversation.

Goodwitch quickly moved the chocolate boxes out of view. "Pay no mind to those. Now, you had some questions for me?"

Pyrrha nodded. "Yes, I was wondering what you think about Jaune's performance recently."

Goodwitch raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Arc? Well, if I'm being honest, he's shown more improvement than any student I've ever had."

Pyrrha beamed upon hearing this.

"No doubt those late night training sessions had a lot to do with it. You should be proud." continued Goodwitch.

"Thank you Professor, I am."

"And, if I may say so, you're relationship likely played a role as well."

Pyrrha blushed. "O-our relationship? We, haven't really been together that long."

"Nonsense, it's likely been building since day one as far as I can tell."

"I mean…we've been partners but-"

"Exactly, two people fighting and living together for so long, it's bound to become something more than a partnership."

Now Pyrrha was intrigued. "Do teammates usually end up in romantic relationships?"

"I wouldn't say it's a regular occurrence but it happens more often than you might think."

Pyrrha thought for a moment before asking her next question. "Do they ever become something…more? W-what I mean to say is…do many students end up…getting married or…having children?" Pyrrha was blushing furiously at this point.

Professor Goodwitch found herself raising both of her eyebrows now. "Not very often, but it does happen."

Pyrrha was smiling even brighter now.

"But…I would recommend retiring before having kids. The life of a Huntress is no life for a mother. Your friend Miss Rose could tell you that much."

The Professor sounded like she was speaking about something much more personal, but Pyrrha didn't press the issue.

"Thank you again for taking the time to see me Professor."

"Of course, enjoy the rest of your day."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the top Beacon Tower, Jaune Arc stood nervously outside the Headmaster's office.

"_What am I even doing here?_" he thought. "_Better get this over with._"

Jaune pressed the button on the keypad to page the Headmaster's desk.

"Come in." he heard Ozpin say through the intercom.

Jaune walked through the door and stopped in front of the clockwork desk. Ozpin looked up from the papers he was working on.

"Mr. Arc, is there something I can help you with?"

Jaune hung his head nervously. "Well, you said I should see you if I ever needed anything, and I mean you're usually giving Ruby advice, and well-"

"Jaune, just tell me what's on your mind."

Jaune swallowed the lump in his throat. "It's…Pyrrha."

"Your partner, last I saw you two were getting along famously."

"It's not about us getting along, it's…I, um, I don't suppose your boundless wisdom includes dating advice?"

Initially, Ozpin was perplexed. Here stood a student asking the much older man for dating advice. The very idea just got sillier and sillier the more he thought about it. Eventually, the Professor couldn't help but struggle to contain his laughter.

Jaune sighed as he hung his head again, this time in shame. "_Knew this was a bad idea._"

"Very well then," said Ozpin as his laughter died down, "but I'll need a little background if I'm going to help you."

Jaune's head snapped up, he was dumbfounded. "W-what?"

"I said I would help you, now tell me everything I might need to know."

Jaune couldn't believe his ears, the Headmaster actually agreed to help him. He couldn't tell if it was because Ozpin was the coolest headmaster ever or if he just wanted to amuse himself, probably both; but, at this point he didn't care, he would take all the help he could get. Jaune recounted the details of his partnership and subsequent relationship with Pyrrha, conveniently leaving out the part about his forged transcripts and being blackmailed by Cardin. Ozpin listened with an amused smile until he finished.

"And, that's about it. So, whaddya think?"

Ozpin thought for a moment. "Well, the way I see it, you still owe her a proper dance don't you?" he said with a sly smile.

"W-well, I guess so. But how am I supposed to set up a romantic dance on such short notice?"

"You have a nice rooftop don't you?"

"Well yeah, but I would need decorations and things."

"I need to go into town to get some things of my own, I wouldn't mind making a few extra stops."

For the first time in this whole visit, Jaune broke into a smile. "Thanks Professor Ozpin. Y'know, you're pretty awesome."

"I try."

Jaune set off to his dorm to grab his music player and some portable speakers. Ozpin, in the meantime, headed to the air-docks to get a ride into town. He stopped on the way as he spotted Yang sitting on a bench. She was sulking, a very un-Yang-like thing to do.

"Feeling a little down today, Miss Xiao Long?" he asked as he approached the bench.

"Oh, hey Oz-man."

Ozpin quirked an eyebrow but otherwise ignored the informal address. "Not a fan of Valentine's Day?"

Yang sighed. "Ruby thinks you give good advice, maybe you can help me out. Every Valentine's Day I get about two-dozen letters from guys asking me out, every Valentine's Day I pick one of them to go out with, and every Valentine's Day I go home disappointed by the fact that it's just another shallow guy thinking he'll get lucky. What do I do?"

"Life is all about taking risks that we may not always be rewarded for. I would try to make what seems to be the best decision, and if it doesn't work out, try to make the most of a risk gone wrong. Everyone could use a light evening workout and if you could save Professor Goodwitch the trouble of disciplining someone, I think she would appreciate it." he said, adding a wink to the last part. "Most importantly, have fun."

Yang had been listening intently and just now registered what he had told her. "Thanks Professor, I uh, think I left my gauntlets in my room." she said as she walked off.

Ozpin couldn't help but smile knowing that Yang would end up enjoying her night and that some troublemaking student would probably be taught a lesson they won't soon forget. His advice now given to the boisterous blonde, the Headmaster continued towards the air-dock.

* * *

Professor Goodwitch was just finishing up the last of her work for the day. Thoughts of rest and relaxation filled her mind. Ozpin was probably going to do something special for Valentine's so she had that to look forward to as well. The last document was filed away when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Ruby Rose walked in nervously.

"Ruby, what can I do for you?"

"Well, um, you gave me detention."

Goodwitch stared blankly for a few seconds. "Oh, that's right."

The Professor measured her options. On one hand, she had in fact given Ruby detention. On the other hand, it was a completely hair-trigger response to a minor personal slight. Beyond that, she also just finished up for the day and really didn't want to deal with any additional work.

"I may have…overreacted earlier, you don't really need to serve detention today."

Ruby perked up immediately. "Oh, really!? Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't believe you actually let me go, thank you so much Prof-"

"Ruby." said Goodwitch, sternly.

"Yes, Professor." she responded, nervously.

"You're dismissed."

"Okay."

Goodwitch couldn't help but smile as the red-cloaked girl left the room. "_She's a good kid, no harm in letting her go just this once._"

With nothing left to do in her office, Professor Goodwitch gathered her things and cleared off her desk, throwing out the large heart-shaped box almost as an afterthought. She locked her door on her way out but only managed to make it a few steps down the hall before she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Hello Glynda."

Goodwitch whirled around to find James Ironwood walking up behind her.

"I hope you've been enjoying your Valentine's Day, I for one-" ***crack***

Ironwood's introduction was cut off by the sting of a riding crop across his cheek.

"How dare you, how dare you step foot on Academy grounds!"

Ironwood ran a hand over his face, his good hand. "Now Glynda, I understand you're probably angry-"

"Angry!? I'm pissed!"

"Glynda look-"

"Don't use my given name like we're friends, you've lost that privilege!"

"Professor Goodwitch, then." he said, more sternly. "What do you want me to do, apologize? I did what I thought was best."

"Consigning one of the most accomplished Huntsmen in the world, one of your oldest friends, to government scrutiny or worse is what you call doing what's best!?"

"One of the greatest Huntsmen, who just lets a terrorist organization run rampant without doing anything about it!?"

"Oh, and I suppose your great plan would be to send a whole army in and cause an international incident!"

"At least that wouldn't mean sitting back and losing the trust of the people!"

"Says the man who refuses to even trust his friends and has lost their trust in turn! I told you, it's time you stopped talking about trust and started actually showing it!"

"So what, I'm untrustworthy, is that what you're saying!?"

"I'm saying you're a short-sighted, self-centered imbecile!"

"And you are blindly following an old flame, a washed up war hero who may have changed the world, but doesn't seem to care about anyone but himself!"

"Is that what this is about!? How mature of you James, really!"

"Am I wrong!?"

Goodwitch's eyes narrowed and her voice dropped. "Yes, you are. Now, get away from me and off school grounds."

Ironwood turned to leave. "You know, I really hoped we could start over Glynda."

"You thought wrong, **General Ironwood**."

"Yes, I suppose I did, **Professor Goodwitch**."

Ironwood left the hall, intent on returning to his airship and leaving the grounds as demanded. Professor Goodwitch stood in the hallway, still fuming.

"_I need to let off some steam._"

* * *

Professor Ozpin returned from Vale a little after dinner time with several cardboard boxes in tow. He had the receiving staff take the larger box to his office while he carried the smaller one by hand towards the dorms. On his way, he found Yang heading the same way with a spring in her step.

"And how was your night, Miss Xiao Long?"

"It was…smashing." replied the blonde with a sheepish smile.

Ozpin chuckled a little before the two were joined by a clearly distressed Pyrrha Nikos.

"Excuse me Professor, have you seen Jaune anywhere? He wasn't at dinner and I'm starting to get worried, I haven't seen him since our last class today."

"I have no idea where he could be." said Ozpin with a knowing smile. "I'm a bit busy at the moment, perhaps Miss Xiao Long can help you find him." he said, giving Yang a sly wink.

The boisterous brawler caught on immediately and smiled deviously in her mind. She stepped forward and placed a 'concerned' hand on Pyrrha's shoulder.

"Yeah, c'mon Pyrrha, I'll help you find your dumb boyfriend."

"Thank you Yang. Hey!"

The two girls walked off, away from the dorms, leaving Ozpin clear to proceed. If Jaune was planning something that involved Pyrrha, Yang had a pretty good idea where it would be and would do her best to distract the red-haired warrior.

Ozpin went on ahead to the roof of the dorm where Jaune, Ren, and Nora were setting up a candle-lit dinner; Nora was ogling the food and playing with a lighter. Jaune looked up and saw the older man exit the stairwell.

"Professor, I got some extension cords from the AV room." he said, motioning to the orange wheels in the corner. "I figured we'd need them."

"Good work." said Ozpin as he opened the box he had brought with him.

Jaune and the Professor emptied the box of several dozen feet of multi-colored lights. They strung the lights up on the wall by the door and the various pipes around them. Ren was setting up Jaune's music player in the corner; he had picked out some soft music for the dinner and a variety of tracks for the inevitable dance afterwards. When they had finished, they took a step back and admired their work.

"It's …perfect." said Jaune.

"An exceptional job." remarked Ren.

"They're going to have the best date **EVER!**" exclaimed Nora.

Ozpin simply chuckled at the teammates' antics.

Ren and Nora left shortly after to find Pyrrha. Jaune looked at Ozpin with a newfound sense of respect and admiration.

"Thank you, Professor. I don't know what I would've done without your help."

"Nonsense, all I did was steer you in the right direction."

"Well, thanks again."

Ozpin smiled and nodded. "Well, I should get going before Miss Nikos arrives, I still have other things I have to attend to. Have a good evening, Mr. Arc."

"You too, Professor." replied Jaune as the Headmaster left the rooftop.

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch stood in her bathroom, toweling her hair dry after a brief shower. After her encounter with Ironwood, she decided to blow off steam by spending about an hour in the training center with the bots turned up to the highest level. Beacon's training drones were designed by the Atlesian military, making their brutal destruction that much more cathartic.

Satisfied with her hair, the Professor decided to go up to the Headmaster's office and wait for him. Ozpin had sent her a message earlier that he was going into town for some errand and it was just about time for him to get back.

Glynda only had to wait a few minutes before Ozpin came through the doors with two lightly steaming plates of food.

"Ah, Glynda, I guess my timing couldn't be better."

In that moment, he noticed how different she looked from the usual. Her hair was down instead of in its typical bun and she wore a more casual lavender blouse. The outfit was rounded out by a business skirt and pantyhose; some things never seem to change.

"Well you look nice."

Glynda nodded as Ozpin set the food down on the desk. He had prepared a delicious looking chicken, broccoli, and rigatoni topped with a thick alfredo sauce. Figuring he would make them dinner, Glynda had brought a bottle of wine from their private collection.

They ate their meal quietly, enjoying each other's company and the occasional banter. The peace was finally broken when Glynda brought up the subject that had been gnawing at the back of her mind.

"Ironwood came to see me today."

Ozpin raised his eyebrows at the sudden mention of the General. "Can't say I'm surprised. How did it go?"

Glynda looked down. "It's over Ozpin, he's a lost cause. We can't count on his support anymore."

"I see. Well, we'll figure it out together."

Glynda nodded. "I gave him quite the earful, and his face will probably be red for a week." she said with a laugh.

Ozpin smiled as he walked around his desk and placed his hands on her shoulders. Glynda sighed in relief as the stresses of earlier that day finally left her. They stayed like that for a while before she brought up another thing that had been bothering her.

"By the way, what is that?" she asked, gesturing to the large box off to the side. She hadn't seen it last time she was in the office and assumed it was brought up while she was in the shower.

"Oh that, that's your other present for today."

Glynda raised an eyebrow. This was always how Valentine's Day played out for them. Ozpin would get her a chocolate box, make her dinner, and get some kind of insane gift the likes of which only he would think of. Never before had he gotten such a large box, however.

"Would you like to open it?" he asked, a playful tone in his voice.

Glynda nodded and approached the cardboard container. With a wave of her hand the tape holding the box together peeled back, allowing it to fall open. What Glynda saw caused her to raise her eyebrows the highest they'd been all day.

Inside the box was an absolutely massive stuffed panda which promptly started to fall towards the blonde-haired professor. She caught the stuffed animal to keep it off of her. Ozpin couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

Glynda shot him a glare. "You got me a giant panda? You're crazy."

"I thought you'd like it. Aren't pandas your favorite animal?"

"…yes."

Ozpin looked on, amused as she dragged the panda across the office towards the elevator.

"Well, this has been quite an eventful day. Care to help me find a place for this?"

"Yes, of course. Maybe then we can finally get some rest."

Glynda flashed a smirk. "Oh, I never said anything about letting you sleep tonight." she said as the elevator doors closed.

Ozpin could only smirk in turn as he began to clean off his desk. He reached under the edge and pulled out a small spyglass, a useful tool for keeping a hawk's eye on the campus. He looked out towards the student dorms just in time to notice a certain couple share their first kiss on the moonlit rooftop. Happy that his help yielded a positive outcome, he put the scope back under the desk.

"_An eventful day, huh? For the first time in quite a while, that's not such a bad thing._"

He stepped into the elevator and closed the doors, curious about the sight that would greet him when he got off.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter actually ended up being quite a bit longer than I originally intended. Please review it, send me feedback, etc. Let me know what you think. I personally feel like I tried to do too much with this chapter, not helped at all by the fact that I could never work on it consistently, but let me know what you guys thought of it. **

**Now, some sorta bad news. I'm gonna take a bit of a break from this story b/c I've got some other ideas that I want to work on. There's gonna be a Romeo one-shot that is currently making good progress and if you're a Kingdom Hearts fan, I'm planning a Kingdom Hearts one-shot or two. Anyway, stay tuned for those and I hope you enjoy them when they're finished. **


	4. Chapter 4: Problem Students

**A/N: Yeah, I know, I'm late again. This is the reason I chose to make this a collection of loosely-related oneshots rather than a properly flowing story. Hard to believe I started working on this before Volume 3 even started. Anyway, this chapter will feature a team of OCs I created called, are you ready for it, Team SHDW (pronounced Shadow; I know, such an original name for an OC team, right). One of the characters was created in response to my cousin asking for me to make a badass, not-give-a-fuck, troublemaker type character for him. After that, I decided to give said character a team and the rest became this story. Hope you all enjoy it. **

**And a special thanks to my friend Aditya for once again putting up with my bullshit and proofreading this for me. **

* * *

Chapter 4: Problem Students

Darkness, as far as the eye could see, is all one would find outside the city of Vale at night. Without the modern conveniences of city living, it would be difficult to navigate the fields and forests where the pale light of the moon was the only guide. It was even more dangerous because the Creatures of Grimm became much more active at night; without the protection of the city's walls, it would be very difficult for one to survive very long.

These were all things going through the mind of a young blonde cheetah-Faunus as he sprinted through the plains at full speed, a lone Beowolf hot on his trail. He looked around and ran towards a faint glimmer in the tree line, courtesy of his natural Faunus night-vision. The Beowolf sensed the change in direction and adjusted accordingly, using its superior sense of smell to track its prey. The Faunus kept running until he reached a large metallic structure between the trees, slipping between the bars easily. The monstrous wolf followed, finding itself unable to pursue further; it turned around only to find its path blocked as a metal gate dropped down.

A pair of humanoid figures in hooded black uniforms dropped down from the trees, their grey armor and masks catching the moonlight. They secured the cage as the black creature bashed its white bone-like armor against its prison. The cheetah-Faunus came around to the front of the cage and joined them.

"Nice work." said a man with warthog tusks on the sides of his mouth.

"Welcome to the White Fang." said the other man, handing the blonde a uniform and mask of his own.

The three Faunus turned to see a heavily militarized transport truck pull up just outside the woods.

"Load it up!" called the driver as his passenger got out to help with the cage.

Some heavy lifting and a brief drive later, the truck pulled up to a large abandoned warehouse in the outskirts of the city. The Faunus got out and started unloading the cage. Other trucks with similar cages were being unloaded throughout the truck bay.

Overseeing the operation was a White Fang member wearing glasses over his mask, standing next to a curious looking human woman. Her hair was half brown, half pink, with streaks of white mixed in with the pink. She wore a white tailcoat over a brown corset, white knee-high boots over brown pants, black gloves, and a mess of necklaces covering her chest. She was casually twirling a folded pink parasol in her hands when her pink and brown eyes noticed a Faunus with a clipboard approach them.

"So far everything's on schedule…except for truck fifteen." he said, as the truck in question pulled in, quite worse for wear.

Four Faunus got out with torn clothes, and one of them having to be supported by two of his partners. The driver of the vehicle reported in to the woman in charge.

"M-Miss Neopolitan, um…"

The short woman held up her hand, cutting him off. "What happened?" she asked, tersely.

The two Faunus that were standing by went pale, knowing that hearing their multicolored companion speak meant trouble.

The third Faunus swallowed a lump in his throat as he collected his thoughts. "Um, well, the c-cage broke as we were loading it onto the truck. The Ursa got out and we had to kill it."

Neopolitan nodded as she seemed to contemplate the young man's explanation. Suddenly, she used her parasol to sweep his feet out from under him before raising her leg up and drop-kicking him to the floor. With a quick motion, she drew a thin blade from her parasol and slashed the downed Faunus across the chest; she drove her high-heeled boot into the wound, causing him to scream out in pain.

"Hey Perry," whispered the clipboard-holding Faunus to his bespectacled comrade, "was she always this brutal?"

"No, she's gotten a lot more violent since Torchwick was handed over to the Atlesian General."

They continued to watch their de facto leader torture their failed comrade until Perry stepped in.

"Miss Neo, I think you've made your point."

Neo's gaze snapped to the boy before releasing her victim with a disappointed sigh.

"Somebody get him a medic, then get back to work." said Perry. "Miss Neo, maybe you should take the rest of the night off."

"Y'know, Perry, I think I'll do just that." she said as she headed for the door. "I can see why Roman took a liking to you, you're actually **competent**."

Perry simply nodded as she walked out of the building.

* * *

Professor Ozpin was not having a very good morning. He had forgone his morning walk and was now sitting at his desk, being handed form after form to sign.

"And this form acknowledges that the Beacon grounds will host twenty to thirty stands during the festival." said Glynda, putting another paper on the desk.

"Mmm." mumbled Ozpin, signing.

"And this one covers locker rentals and usage fees for the coliseum and its facilities."

"Am I quite finished yet?"

"The more you focus, the faster you'll get done."

"So much for our morning walk."

"It's a day off for the academy today, if you went on a morning walk you wouldn't be back 'til dinner."

"Perhaps." he said with a chuckle. "What's this?"

"That form acknowledges that General **Ironhead** is in charge of festival security."

"Glynda." said Ozpin, disapprovingly.

"Basically, it makes that lummox responsible for the safety of our students and the civilians."

"Glynda!"

"What?"

"Please don't be difficult. The council made their decision, we just have to bear with it."

Glynda sighed. "I know."

Ozpin signed the form and moved it to the now foot-tall pile on the other side of his desk. "So, is that the last of it, or do you have something else for me?"

"Just one more thing. I have some student files I'd like you to look over."

"Any particular reason?"

"They're just some students that I've considered problematic since their first day here. I feel like their reckless behavior has gone on long enough."

"I take it you're specifically referring to Mr. Howzer of Team SHDW?" asked Ozpin as he read the names on each file.

"Ah yes, Vermillion, a perfect case in point. I had to lock him up during that inspection to make sure he wouldn't cause trouble. He's actually finishing up a morning detention right now for setting off confetti bombs on Valentine's Day."

"I doubt a little confetti-"

"From the top of this tower."

"Well-"

"It was everywhere."

"Glynda," said Ozpin, getting up from his desk, "I'll look over these later; however, I think you'll find that even the most troublesome students are worth keeping around."

Glynda furrowed her brow. "Well, you've never given me a reason to doubt you."

"Good to know. Now, I believe it is a day off."

"Right, I have quite a bit of work to take care of." she said as she walked out of the office.

Ozpin sighed. _"I think that defeats the purpose."_

* * *

A young man stood watch in the hall next to a door marked 'DETENTION.' He had long hair that was black on one side and white on the other. He wore a black short-sleeved button-down, completely unbuttoned, over a red t-shirt; red and black cargo-pants covered his legs over a matching pair of sneakers. He was entertaining himself by hanging off the wall at an angle and pulling himself back up repeatedly with a set of nearly invisible wires. His expression turned from bored to relieved when he heard the door finally open.

The boy opened his red eyes to see another young man step out of the room. This one had short, silver-streaked brown hair, and red eyes. He wore an open black combat vest, over an orange tank-top, and baggy black shorts with orange pouches that reached down to his shins. The outfit was completed by a pair of orange and black high-top sneakers.

"Yo, I'm so glad to be outta that place." said the orange-clad boy, before noticing he had company. "Oh, hey Crimson."

"V, you know it was your fault you got detention, right?"

"Only 'cause Goodbitch caught me."

"I told you not to set off the confetti bombs on top of the CCT."

"You're right, I should'a done it all around campus so she wouldn't know where to look for me."

"That probably would've only made things worse."

Vermillion shrugged it off with a toothy grin. "Relax, man, I'm just joking. Yo, let's head down to lunch, I'm starving."

The two boys headed across Beacon campus to the dining hall; they made their way over to a table where two other students were waiting.

"So, finally out of detention V?" asked a girl with blonde hair and tan skin. She wore a small black vest over an orange tube-top, baggy white pants, and gold bands on her wrists and arms.

"Nice to see you, too, Amber."

Golden eyes narrowed, as she crossed her arms. "Don't give me lip, Vermillion."

"Don't call me that, it's V, I hate being called Vermillion!"

"Alright, will you two calm down." said Crimson, trying to restore order.

At that point, the third boy sitting at the table looked up. He had dark grey hair with a long black headband. He wore a short-sleeved white v-neck and an unzipped ghillie suit with the sleeves tied around his waist.

"Yeah, c'mon guys, can't we just have lunch in peace?"

"What Onyx said, eating is good." said Crimson.

"Fine," Amber said, rolling her eyes, "sit down, we still need to talk about tonight."

The four teammates sat down and started chatting away; meanwhile, Team RWBY and company were having their own conversation one table over.

"-but man, your headmaster is scary." said Neptune.

"Oh, he's not so bad," said Ruby, "I mean, he's nice to me."

"Everyone's nice to you Ruby." said Sun.

"That's not true, Weiss was horrible to me when we first met."

"Hey!" cried the Heiress in question.

"I'm with Ruby on this one," said Jaune, "Ozpin's not so bad. He…um, he was actually a big help to me the other day."

Ren and Nora shared a knowing glance while Pyrrha simply smiled.

"Well, wish us luck, we're gonna be tailing him all day." said Neptune.

"Can I come along!?" asked Ruby, excitedly.

"You sure? You kinda almost got detention last time you tried to help us." said Sun.

"Oh that was just Professor Goodwitch overreacting; besides, tailing Professor Ozpin sounds like great stealth training. I could become a ninja like Blake, oh, or an infiltrator like Solid Serpent from the Metal Cog games!"

Blake and the others laughed at Ruby's enthusiasm, all except Yang who seemed more interested in the chatter coming from the next table. She thought she recognized two of the students and quickly found herself eavesdropping on a conversation about something a thrill-seeker like her could appreciate, racing.

"-so the route is set. How's turnout looking?" said Amber.

"So far, so good." said Crimson. "We've got messages back from twelve people."

"Oh snap!" exclaimed V. "That's already two more than last time, this is gettin' good."

"Good thing I scouted such a wide track." added Onyx.

"Have room for one more?" chimed Yang, adding herself to the conversation.

"Who's askin'?" asked V, as he and his team turned to their guest.

Yang slid over and sat down at their table, drawing a curious glance from Crimson. "That you, Xiao Long?" he asked.

"Yup. I thought I recognized you guys, you're Crimson and V from back at Signal. How've you guys been?"

"Oh y'know, same old. I heard you were at Beacon, but never-"

"Damn, you got hot!"

"Oh stop it V, you're flattery is 'Crimsonal.'"

The whole table groaned at Yang's pun, except V who was practically laughing his head off.

"And I see you still have the same…unique sense of humor." said Crimson, trying not to insult his old friend.

"Oh yeah, my little sister Ruby's here too, she's my team leader." said Yang, pointing towards her table proudly.

"Wow, she ain't half-bad eith-ow!"

Crimson glared at V after giving him a stern elbow to the ribs.

Amber cleared her throat, getting the attention of everyone at the table. "You guys wanna fill us in anytime?"

"Oh, right, sorry. This is Yang Xiao Long, V and I knew her back at Signal."

"Nice to meet'cha." said Yang.

"Likewise, I'm Amber Sahara. You clearly already know Howzer and Dicer, and the introvert next to me is Onyx Wybert. Together, we're Team SHDW."

"Cool, I'm on Team RWBY, they're-"

"Yo yo yo," interrupted V, "enough with the catching up. You came here 'cause you wanted to race, right?"

"Oh, right. So, you guys are setting up a street race?"

"Yes, we are." replied Crimson. "You want in?"

"Any vehicle restrictions?"

"None."

"Good, Bumblebee and I will see you on the track."

"We'll send you the place and time." said Amber.

Yang nodded and rejoined her circle of friends, drawing some curious looks as she sat down.

"Who was that?" asked Ruby.

"Just some old friends from back on Patch and their team."

Ruby squinted to get a better look. "I think I remember them; aren't they brothers or something?"

"Cousins."

"Oh, right. You hanging out with them later?"

"Yup. Prob'ly gonna be out late so don't wait up for me."

Ruby just shook her head at this, knowing she would end up waiting anyway.

* * *

With the day off from classes, the students all boarded airships and dispersed into the city of Vale. Some went shopping or on other errands, some spent the day at the movies and hanging out with friends, and a select few made their way into the seedier parts of the city.

A sinister trio walked through the slums, their bodies covered in hooded black cloaks they put on while sneaking in the alleys.

"You're certain we weren't followed?" asked the leader, a woman with a cold, detached voice.

"I'm sure." said a female subordinate.

"Good, we can shed the disguises for now."

The three removed their cloaks as they turned down a particularly abandoned alleyway. The leader strode forward in a strapless red mini-dress with an intricate gold trim, her raven hair falling over her shoulder and covering her left eye. Her black glass heels clinked on the ground as her golden eyes scanned their surroundings.

"The safehouse shouldn't be very far." said her female companion.

The girl had dark skin, red eyes, and mint-green hair. She wore a pair of white capris and a white-strapped green tank-top that bared her midriff and a significant amount of cleavage.

Like she had said, a small, seemingly abandoned house soon came into view. It looked like any other condemned building; but, if one knew what to look for, they would see it was much more than that. The vague shape of a security camera in the window, a motion sensor hidden in the overgrown bushes, and some damage on the house that looked a little too deliberate.

"Stay out here and keep watch." said the red-clad woman as she made her way to the door.

The other two did as they were told and stood at attention on the edge of the property. The green-haired girl eyed her companion anxiously. The grey-haired man dusted off his black pants as he finished checking the weaponized greaves he wore on his feet. He patted the shoulder pads on his grey shirt before noticing his partner.

"Y'know Emerald, I know I'm good looking and all, but you're staring is making me feel self-conscious." said the man, sarcastically.

"Shut it, Mercury, I'm just on edge. Why do we have to stand out here while Cinder goes in alone?"

"If the boss wants to go in alone, that's all there is to it."

"Still, I don't like it, meeting those two by herself. What if they turn on us? They could attack her, she could be in danger in there."

Mercury rolled his eyes. "Em, she could kill us all, I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Don't call me 'Em' you arrogant jackass!" she yelled, frustrated with Mercury's nonchalant attitude.

Meanwhile, in the safehouse, Cinder made her way into the living room. There were a couple of couches, and a coffee table covered in monitors and computer equipment. Sitting on one couch was a short woman with pink and brown hair. On the other sat a young man with spiked red and black hair, a set of horns clearly visible among his locks. He wore a silver mask with an intricate red and black pattern, black pants, and a long black coat with rose patterns embroidered on it.

"Good, we're all here now." said the man, sternly.

"Adam, Neo, I take it we're prepared?" asked Cinder.

"My men are ready." replied Adam while Neo simply rolled her eyes and nodded.

"We're short a few, correct?" asked Cinder, turning to the multicolored woman.

"Yes." said Neo, quietly.

"That's on you, Adam."

"I know, I picked better this time, and the men who fucked up will be punished…severely."

"Very well. Transport the Grimm tonight as scheduled; Neo, see that they get it done."

"Hold it, there's something we need to discuss about **Shorty** here."

Neo gave the horned man a venomous glare before Cinder raised a hand, telling her to back off.

"We've gone along with her so far, but last night went too far. The White Fang will discipline its troops on its own terms, not hers."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting that this 'partnership' of ours is already strained, the White Fang would've already deserted you if I weren't here. Reign her in…or we can come up with our own solution."

Cinder contemplated Adam's words before turning to Neo, whose eyes were both pink as her face turned absolutely livid.

"You **have** been rather prickly lately." said Cinder, disapprovingly. "Care to give me an explanation?"

Neo simmered down slightly. "It's been weeks, when are you planning to break Roman out of prison?"

Cinder smiled as she walked to the thief; she placed one hand on Neo's shoulder while the other raised her chin up and forced eye contact.

"My dear Neopolitan, I know you miss screwing your boss after every other job, but now is simply not the time to retrieve him." she said, as her amber eyes glowed threateningly. "Until then, you obey **me**. Don't take your bad mood out on our allies again. Understood?"

Neo felt the palm on her shoulder heat up, her eyes turning from pink to white as the message stuck; defiance meant death.

"Y-yes, Ma'am."

"That's a good girl." said Cinder, releasing her. "And Adam, keep in mind that Neo here is not your follower to punish."

The Faunus swallowed a lump in his throat as the temperature in the air fluctuated around him. Satisfied that her loose-cannon allies were kept in line, Cinder left the building. Adam looked over to his remaining companion, making sure there was no chance that Cinder would walk back in, before speaking his mind.

"You're lucky she decided to cover your ass, pipsqueak." he whispered.

Neo looked up with a bitter pout and drove her heel into his foot before heading towards the back door.

Cinder stepped out of the safehouse to find Mercury and Emerald standing guard, diligently. She could tell by their body language that there had been some kind of argument between them.

_"It just never ends, does it?"_ she thought. "Meeting's over, come."

"How did it go?" asked Emerald, enthusiastically.

"Oh, the usual criminal politics, nothing special."

"So, what's next on this wonderful day off?" asked Mercury, sarcastically.

"Enjoy yourselves, you have to keep up appearances. I have errands to run in town."

"Don't work too hard." said Emerald as they parted ways, brandishing their black cloaks once again.

* * *

Aura, the manifestation of the soul, was the most useful asset a person could have on Remnant. Those who could harness this power, could shield their bodies, heal injuries, and even sense the presence of others nearby. It was also through this power that someone like Professor Ozpin could tell that three students had been tailing him since lunch.

_"Have to admit, they're pretty well hidden."_ he thought as a flurry of rose petals flew between the rooftops.

Ruby wiped the sweat from her brow as she landed on the lecture hall with Neptune in tow. Sun climbed up the back of the building and joined them.

"Sorry for wearing you out like this, Rubes." said the blue-haired boy.

Ruby caught her breath, worn out from using her Semblance to carry another person. "It's okay, I could use the practice."

"Too bad you guys can't just climb up here. So, where's Ozpin?"

Ruby pulled Sun down against the roof, before his enthusiasm became too conspicuous. Sun nodded in apology and the three students crawled over to the edge of the building. They spotted Ozpin strolling along the path next to the dorms, admiring the campus gardens.

"We've got him in our sights." said Neptune.

"Guys, what exactly is the plan here?" asked Ruby.

"I dunno," chimed Sun, "we were just gonna follow him all day."

"Great plan." said Ruby, rolling her eyes.

"He's on the move." Neptune warned.

Ozpin smirked as he deliberately looked away from the building his tails were hiding on. _"Staying low, very good; but how long can you keep it up?"_

He moved into the garden, where a myriad of flowers, hedges, and the occasional fountain waited for his pursuers. There was no high ground in the gardens, so the trio would have to keep themselves hidden at ground level.

_"If we're going to play this game, I'm not making it easy for you."_

Ruby made the first move, using her speed to move from the roof to a space behind a hedge, without being seen. Neptune slid down a pipe on the side of the building and hid behind a lone fountain, keeping himself low against the ground. Sun jumped down into a tree, using the foliage to keep himself hidden. They all watched as Ozpin made his way deeper into the garden.

Ruby moved between hiding spots invisibly thanks to her raw speed while Sun hopped from tree to tree. Neptune was the slowest of the three, limited to using whatever decent-size objects he could find to conceal himself. This went on for fifteen minutes, with Ozpin changing paths or doubling back every once in a while, until he finally disappeared behind a particularly tall hedge.

"What's taking so long?" asked Sun, as he regrouped with Ruby.

"Don't know, this is the edge of the garden, maybe he left."

"Couldn't be," said Neptune, joining them, "I would've seen him."

The three moved over to the hedge, they nodded to each other in agreement before peeking around to the other side. They were shocked to find that Ozpin was not there waiting for him.

"What, where'd he go?" asked Sun. "He couldn'a just disappeared."

"Maybe he could have;" chimed Neptune, "you think his Semblance could be invisibility?"

Ruby pondered the thought. "I don't know, I don't think so."

"Still can't believe he slipped away, he was probably on to us the whole time." said Sun.

"Yeah, Beacon's Headmaster is kind of a badass, I'm impressed."

"And I'm impressed that such normally loud students can sneak around so quietly." said a voice from behind them.

Sun and Neptune leaped over the hedge and bolted in the other direction as Ozpin looked on with an amused expression.

"Um, hi Professor."

"Hello Ruby." he responded, as he removed himself from the hedge. "Not going to leave like the others?"

"Nope." she replied, cheerfully. Ruby was used to talking to the mysterious headmaster, she found nothing to fear in him catching her goofing off. "Were you onto us the whole time Professor?"

"More or less, so I decided to have some fun of my own." he said, as they started to walk around campus together. "I'm a bit disappointed it was only you three, though. Where are the rest of your teams?"

"They all had things to do in Vale."

"I see. So tell me, why are you three so interested in following me all of a sudden?"

"Oh y'know, we just thought it would be good training tailing you and all." she answered, nervously.

"You're a terrible liar, you know?" Ozpin said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I know."

Ozpin waited for Ruby to collect her thoughts, knowing the good-hearted girl would come clean eventually.

"Truth is, Sun and Neptune have been kinda curious if there's something between you and Professor Goodwitch; I just tagged along 'cause I thought it would be fun."

"I see, I figured it was something like that." said Ozpin as he broke into a fit of silent laughter.

"So, you're not mad?"

"Of course not, this sort of thing happens every year."

"Really?"

"Really, I still remember when Miss Adel dragged her whole team into a week-long investigation into the matter."

Ruby couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Coco rampaging through the school over something this trivial. "So, how do you deal with this happening every year?"

"I've simply learned to take it in stride, and it's always fun messing with the students that think they can go over my head."

Ruby laughed at the fact that the Headmaster had such a devious sense of humor, it wasn't something she expected from him.

"You seem to be having fun."

"It's just funny," she said, regaining her composure, "I never thought this would be the kind of problem Beacon's 'illustrious' Headmaster would have to deal with."

"Well, it beats sitting in my office all day."

"I guess so. Now I'm curious though; **is** there something between you and Professor Goodwitch? I mean, if that many people it's true then…"

"Alright Ruby, since you were honest with me, I shall do the same." said Ozpin with a smile. "The truth is, Professor Goodwitch and I have been happily married for decades."

The red-clad girl's eyes widened. "Wow!" she exclaimed, before breaking into a snicker.

"Something amusing?"

"It's just hard to picture Goodwitch happy is all."

"Well, I do give her a fair bit of trouble sometimes." he said with a laugh.

Ruby snickered along with him. "So, why do you keep it a secret?"

"To put it simply, my position carries with it a great deal of responsibility, but also falls under great scrutiny from the public and the government. To ease the burden on us, Professor Goodwitch and I decided to keep our relationship out of the public eye, and privy only to a select few individuals."

"Okay, I get it, you just didn't want people…bothering you." she said, downcast.

"So, Miss Rose, can you keep a secret?"

"Sir yessir!" she said, perking up immediately.

"Good, now I do believe I see your friends looking for you." said Ozpin, pointing out Sun and Neptune nearby.

"Oh, Sun, Neptune!" she called, as she ran over to them. "See you later, Professor!"

Ozpin smiled as he waved to the energetic Huntress-in-training. He walked off, reminiscing about a certain other student who had helped two boys find out his secret. She, too, had been in it just for the fun rather than genuine curiosity, but he ended up telling her anyway.

_"She really does take after her mother."_

Sun and Neptune scrambled up to Ruby as she met them halfway.

"Ruby, what happened!?"

"Yeah Rubes, we thought you got in trouble for sure."

"Nah, Professor Ozpin and I just talked for a while."

The boys stared at her, awestruck at her apparent bravery.

"How do you do that?" asked Sun. "Ozpin still scares us shitless."

"He's just messing with you. Besides, he's actually really nice when you get to know him."

"More importantly," said Neptune, "did you find anything out?"

"Yeah, I….um, I mean, nope, nothing, nothing at all."

"But you were just about to-"

"C'mon Rubes, tell us."

"Can't, it's a secret."

The two Haven students lost it, but simmered down after they realized Ruby wouldn't tell them no matter how many times they asked. The three of them decided to head into Vale for the rest of the afternoon to try and meet up with their teammates.

* * *

Yang sped down the road, Bumblebee roaring beneath her as she weaved through traffic. She had spent all day working on the motorcycle and was now speeding towards the meeting place near the outskirts of town. She took the exit ramp off the freeway and searched one of the more ramshackle neighborhoods until she found a large crowd gathered around some cars.

"Glad you made it!" called V, as he noticed Yang pull up.

"Of course, I wasn't gonna miss this."

"Well, I hope you're ready to lose 'cause you're gonna have to go up against me and **that**."

Yang looked over to where he was pointing and saw a silver coupe with metallic gold rims and a spoiler. It had a vent in the center of the hood and a large tailpipe. The license plate, which read 'V HOUSE,' had been moved to the side of the front bumper, and several decals on the sides and windows showed off the names of parts manufacturers.

"Whoa, is that a Pleiades Inspira Coupe!?"

Sure is, fully customized and everything."

"Oh yeah, what's under the hood?"

"Twin turbo, forged pistons, and nitro, for starters."

" Then it's a good thing I've been race-tuning Bumblebee all day."

V flashed a toothy smile, confident he was going to win, but grateful for the challenge. The two kept chatting until they saw Crimson walking over to them.

"Alright bro, race is about to start. Good luck out there."

"You're not racing with us?" asked Yang.

"In a way, I'm gonna be driving Amber around on the sidelines while she films the whole thing."

"And Onyx is our eye in the sky," chimed V, "he's on some tall building nearby."

"Oh, well see you at the finish line then."

"**If** you get there first." boasted V.

Crimson walked off towards a race-tuned red coupe outside the crowd, while Amber could be seen rallying everyone into their starting positions. The blonde belly-dancer came over to Yang and lined her up.

"Here, you're gonna need one of these earpieces." she said, handing Yang the small device.

"Thanks. Make sure you get my good side while you're filming."

Amber laughed a little. "I dunno, not sure I can get all of you on camera at once." she said, sarcastically, as she left Yang to wait for the race to start.

"Testing, testing, can everyone hear me?" asked a familiar voice over the earpiece. "My name is Onyx Wybert and I'll be your overwatch for this event. I'll be keeping you updated on any hazardous conditions as we go, so do please pay attention and have a safe near-suicidal competition."

After Onyx gave his little speech, Amber walked to the center of the starting line with a megaphone.

"Alright, we're about to get started! A map of the course was sent to your scrolls before you got here; if you don't know where to go by now, not our problem!"

She tossed the megaphone to someone on the sidelines before removing her black vest and holding it above her head, drawing some cheers and whistles from the crowd. The racers all revved their engines in anticipation. Yang did the same as she checked her helmet and slid her goggles into place. When the roaring of the engines died down, a voice could be heard shouting over the megaphone.

"THREE!"

Everyone revved up again.

"TWO!"

Engines roared to life yet again.

"ONE!"

One last show of horsepower.

"GO!"

On that final word, Amber swung her arm down as all of the vehicles sped past her in a Dust-fueled rumble. When they had all cleared the line, she put her vest back on and slid across the ground towards Crimson's car.

"Get after them!" she cried, as she slammed the door shut and got out a camera.

"Right." said her teammate, as he floored the gas pedal.

Yang weaved around the first few cars in front of her, the maneuver being effortless for her more compact vehicle. She throttled up, but was met with resistance; the two drivers in front of her were driving hatchbacks, and they were more reluctant to give up their position. They were racing neck-and-neck in front of her, blocking her from advancing and switching places every time she saw an opening. Yang looked around and spotted an opportunity, a narrow incline on the side of the curve ahead. She revved up to a higher gear and went straight for the makeshift ramp, pulling up as hard as she could at the very end. The jump put her right in front of the two cars as she stuck the landing. She turned and waved to the shocked drivers before leaving them in her dust.

Crimson watched with awe from the film-car as he tried to maintain a proper distance from the course. "Damn, she's good."

"I know, right." said Amber. "I think we have a new top contender tonight."

Crimson floored it, eager to catch up to the new star racer.

Yang's real challenge began when she caught up to a trio of bikers and a girl on an ATV. Like her, their vehicles were a lot more maneuverable than those of the other racers. They all weaved between the cars around them as they fought for the lead. Eventually, they noticed the road end up ahead as the race moved onto the dirt.

_"Perfect."_ thought Yang.

Two of the bikers wiped out immediately upon going off-road, their motorcycles unprepared for the shift in terrain. Yang had anticipated this, she had made sure to equip her bike with off-road tires and shocks. Unfortunately, one of the other bikers was smart enough to do the same, to say nothing of the ATV. Yang stuck to the smoothest ground she could find, slowly gaining on her rivals. The bumpy ride the other biker chose eventually took its toll; Yang had just caught up when the young man went off a big jump, too big for him to handle. He cursed and slammed his fist into his crashed bike as Yang sped past.

Finally, it was just Yang and the ATV. This was a different beast entirely, a vehicle purpose-built for off-road racing. Try as she might, Yang couldn't keep up, only try to stay as close as possible. She would have to wait for the next section of tarmac to make her move.

The filming car was keeping pace on the sidelines as Amber continued recording the intense race.

"This is going to get so many hits online." she said, enjoying every second of the footage she was capturing.

"She might actually give V a run for his money." replied Crimson, eyes locked in front of him.

"I know, right. It's no fun watching him just blow everyone away all the time."

Yang and her opponent finally made it back to the road, with Yang trailing only a few meters behind. Finally back on an optimal surface, Yang revved up to full throttle and rocketed past the quad-riding young woman, earning herself an obscene hand gesture in return.

Yang sped forward, hugging turns and blasting straights, trying to reduce her travel time as much as possible. Up ahead, she spotted V's custom Pleiades as the sole leader of the race. She stated directly behind it, intending to draft as much as possible to avoid extra air resistance. V quickly caught on and tried to shake her off as much as possible. Yang was persistent and stayed on his tail, her bike able to easily keep up with all the swerving. They kept going like this until Yang finally managed to pull up alongside him.

"Wow, you actually caught up!" yelled V, after rolling down his window.

"Hope you're ready to lose!" she said, echoing his previous boasting.

"Aw hell no, you're the one who's gonna lose!"

"We'll see!"

The two turned their attention back to the road. They fought over first place fiercely, neither one wanting to give up the top spot. Their vehicles almost collided with one another on more than one occasion.

"If you scratch my car, I'll kill you Xiao Long!"

"Your car, what about my bike!?"

The racers veered off onto an unfinished part of the now-abandoned old highway, hitting the rough surface of the incomplete asphalt. Neither vehicle lost an inch as their drivers pushed them to their limit. Yang smirked, knowing she would have the advantage soon. The map had said there was a massive jump ahead. Her motorcycle would fly much farther than V's heavier car. V had anticipated this and wasn't particularly worried. Their eyes narrowed as they saw the jump approaching. That was when they heard a familiar voice call out to them.

"Hey guys," said Onyx over their earpieces, "you've got a problem. There are a bunch of trucks crossing the outskirts ahead."

Neither of them slowed down, confident they could just weave between the trucks.

"Guys, I'm serious, this looks pretty bad."

Still no response.

"Guys! Are you listening to me!?"

Too late, they reached the jump. Yang's bike soared through the air as she pulled back on the handles. V smirked as he used a large burst of nitro; the volatile green liquid flooded his engine, green sparks and flames shot out of the exhaust as the car was propelled into the air. He and Yang flew side-by-side off the side of the cliff, both screaming excitedly from the adrenaline rush. Their excitement quickly turned to horror, however, when they saw what was waiting for them in the muddy valley below. A huge convoy of trucks was moving across the open landscape with very little space between them. Yang must have counted around twenty or thirty of them in the time she had to process the view, time that was extremely short lived as she remembered where she was.

Yang and V turned their vehicles ninety degrees and slammed on the brakes, grinding to a halt thirty meters away from crashing into the moving wall of metal in front of them. Yang quickly hopped off her bike to see if her friend was alright.

"V, you okay!? V!?" she called, as the young man got his bearings.

"Me? You're the one on a motorcycle."

"True, so come check on me first next time, jerk."

"You're a big girl." he retorted. "Anyway, who the **fuck** is driving all these trucks in the middle of nowh-"

V was cut off by the sound of automatic fire, as a group of masked men exited three of the trucks.

"White Fang!" yelled Yang, diving behind the car and readying her weapons.

V dropped out of the door and joined Yang behind the car. He pulled a mechanized cylinder out of the passenger seat before looking in horror at what was happening.

"They're shooting up my car! **Hell no**!"

He grabbed the cylinder and twisted a large switch on the side. The cylinder lengthened, parts spun into place, and a handle swung out of the side. He rested it on his shoulder as the ends opened up.

"Whoa, **that's** your weapon!?"

"It's called Thunderstorm, **this** is why!"

V moved out from behind the car and fired at the attackers. A huge shockwave left the front of the weapon, sending White Fang members flying and knocking their trucks over.

"Yeah, how do you like it when I wreck **your** rides!?" V yelled in triumph.

A White Fang member jumped out to his left, trying to blindside him. Before either could fire, the terrorist was shot down, the sound of a sniper rifle cracked through the air soon after.

"I don't think they really care about their cars as much as you, V." said Onyx over the earpiece.

"Yo, Onyx, why didn't you tell us there were White Fang in these trucks!?"

"I was on top of a high-rise in downtown." said Onyx, as he sniped another White Fang member. "What do you think I have, HD infinite zoom?"

"Well, we could really use a hand over here!" said Yang, as she fired a few explosive rounds from her gauntlets.

"I'm making my way down to you." said Onyx, taking out yet another enemy. "Amber and Crimson just arrived on site."

More trucks kept stopping to let out enemy soldiers. Even the trucks that had been further ahead were turning around to help their allies. Yang and V were putting distance between themselves and the veritable battalion, returning fire every chance they got. A large group of White Fang charged forward, ready to mow down the Hunters-in-training.

The charge was short lived as they soon found themselves being restrained and flung aside by an unseen force. Yang looked over to see Crimson jump into the fray, tossing enemies aside, practically by waving his hands around. When she looked closer, Yang could just barely make out what appeared to be wires flexing through the nearby air. When Crimson got to them, she could see the wires were clearly coming out of the black half-finger gloves he was wearing.

"Get back!" he said, as he sent a huge weave of wires forward.

A dozen White Fang froze, tangled in the web of threads around them. Crimson pushed a button on each of the gloves' metal wrist-cuffs, causing an electric current to run through the wires. The enemies fell over, their Auras spent, they laid unconscious on the ground to be retrieved by their reinforcements. Crimson opened the metal plates on the back of his gloves, swapping the spent Shock Dust cartridges for fresh ones.

"Who's next?" he asked, quietly.

A large number of White Fang still stood their ground, some of them radioing for even more backup. A squad of six took point and advanced on the defending students. Amber came sliding in from the left; in one fluid motion she tripped one, kicked another, and threw a third by catching his neck between her legs. She drew a pair of scimitars, with circular shield-like hand-guards, from behind her back. The blades flipped over their hand-guards, turning the swords into a reverse-grip form. Amber blocked some gunshots with the shields before using them to punch the gunman into submission. She slid over and cut another one down before noticing the final enemy retreating. Switching back to fore-grip mode, she crossed the scimitars together and created a small sandstorm. The blast of dusty wind sent the White Fang member flying, as Amber slid her way to her friends.

"Where'd all these trucks come from?" she asked, as she looked over the situation.

"Beats the hell outta me." said V.

"It looks like more are on their way." said Crimson.

Amber nodded. "Onyx, where are you?"

"Right on the edge of town, I shouldn't be too long."

"Hey guys," said Yang, "the 'more' are here."

The team looked up to see an additional two dozen trucks full of White Fang show up.

"They're certainly well funded." said Yang.

"Where are they **getting** these things!?" complained V.

"Doesn't matter." said Amber. "V, make us some cover. Crimson, you and I are running interference. Onyx, set up where you are and cover us 'til he's done. Yang, stay close to V please."

Once Amber was done giving out orders, everyone went straight to work. V blasted the ground with Thunderstorm, creating a deep trench to take cover in. Crimson weaved his wires into square meshes, using them to block incoming fire. Amber whipped up another sandstorm on the White Fang's front line to obscure their vision. Onyx's rifle could be heard picking off White Fang amidst the chaos. Yang stayed close to V, firing off the occasional explosive round.

The White Fang quickly smartened up to Amber's tactics and began using wind-based weapons of their own to blow away the sand. Once it cleared, the enemy became much more coordinated. Crimson had to work harder to block their fire, Amber eventually stepped in to help with her shields.

"V, I need that line broken up, now!" ordered the team leader.

"Roger!"

V fired a shockwave at the ground, launching himself high into the air. With the turn of another switch, the cannon split in half. The halves fit over his arms as cylinders slid out, pieces locked into place, and antenna-like devices extended outwards.

"Better watch your backs!"

Some of the White Fang members turned around, as if they heard the voice from behind them. The formation was wide open as V rained down blasts of red lightning. The exploding shots sent White Fang flying in all directions. Crimson wrapped some of his wires around his falling cousin, who fired another volley as he was pulled back to cover.

"Nice work." said Amber. "Wait, what!?"

Unfortunately, V's last salvo seemed to have been deflected, causing minimal damage. When the dust settled, a short woman holding a pink parasol stood at the point of impact. Her stylish attire and tri-colored hair made her easily identifiable, especially to those who had seen her before.

"Damn." said Yang.

"What is it?" asked Amber.

"That woman with the umbrella, she's the leader."

"Got it!" said V, enthusiastically.

"No, don't," said Yang, "I don't know if we can take her."

Neo flipped to the side as a sniper shot rang through the air. She dodged another three rounds before one finally hit her. She shattered into pieces on impact, reappearing near one of the trucks.

"Yang's right," said Onyx, over the radio, "she's good."

On the other side of the battlefield, Neo was sizing up the opposition. She already learned the hard way that they had a sniper nearby, so she turned her attention to the others. They looked fairly young, still students most likely. The boy that had attacked their front line seemed to specialize in heavy weapons, she would have to defend her forces from him the most. The boy next to him didn't have any weapon that she could see, she knew better than anyone that an unknown was something to be careful about. Next, she noticed a shock of blonde hair and a pair of swords, the one that kicked up all of that sand.

_"No, that's not her."_ she thought, remembering another blonde-haired Huntress-in-training.

She turned her attention to the other blonde-haired girl in the group, immediately noticing the brown during jacket and gold-plated gauntlets.

_"But __**that**__ is!"_ she thought, as a wicked smile spread across her face. She already knew what this girl was capable of, and how to handle her.

"Shit, I think she saw me." said Yang, as she ducked into the trench.

"Well, at least now she'll have something to focus on." said Amber, as she started thinking of a plan. "Crimson, what do you think?"

Crimson looked over the enemy line, blocking the occasional bullet with his wire meshes, as the enemy started their next attack. "Hmm, they're using their trucks as cover, we could blow 'em."

"Alright. V, hop to it; Onyx, cover him. Yang, you're gonna distract Pinky over there while Crimson and I cover you."

The trio got into formation, as V flanked to the right. Anyone who tried to shoot the cannon-wielding racer was swiftly dealt with by a sniper shot.

"Alright, let's have some fun." said V. "Hey loser, heads up, behind you, to the right, your other right."

Several members of the White Fang looked around in confusion, unsure of where the taunts were coming from.

"How's he doing that?" asked Yang.

"It's his Semblance, he calls it Trashtalk." replied Crimson. "It lets him project his voice from anywhere, even right in your ear. Makes a great confusion tactic."

Neo had her main force focus fire on Yang's position. The salvo kept the three students pinned down while Neo moved in for a close-quarters fight, intent on playing with her new favorite victim. Meanwhile, V had made it to higher ground where he had a clear shot on the enemy trucks.

"Here goes nothin'." he said, as he opened fire with the dual arm-cannons.

With the White Fang in disarray and Neo preoccupied with her own targets, the explosive shots had no trouble reaching their target. Onyx helped out by taking shots at the fuel tanks of the trucks, causing processed liquid-Dust to leak out. The whole line was quickly reduced to a burning wreck.

Neo whirled around, her eyes widened with fury as she saw the exploding trucks. _"Dammit, how could I be so stupid!?"_

"Nice shot!" yelled Amber, over the din of the explosions.

V began showboating as all of the White Fang's cover blew up in their faces. The terrorists were reduced to screaming helplessly as they ran and dove away from the chaos.

"Um, guys!" called Onyx, over the radio. "**That** doesn't look good!"

The excited students turned and watched in horror as the convoy's cargo revealed itself, they were transporting Creatures of Grimm. Beowolves and Ursa scampered from the wreckage, their durable bodies protecting them from the flames. Once they were free of the danger, they quickly turned their attention to their now helpless captors. Members of the White Fang screamed as they were savagely thrown around by the monstrous animals, those who were still standing fought back in an attempt to stop the onslaught.

"This is getting out of hand," said Crimson, "we can't let the Grimm get to the city!"

"I'm calling my team for backup!" said Yang, as she dialed up her scroll.

"Well, you might wanna make it quick," called Amber, "because we've got company!"

Yang looked up to see a clearly seething Neo in front of them, flanked by two members of the White Fang.

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch stood at the top of a building in central Vale. She was an hour into her patrol and all was quiet so far. Even though school was out for the day, she was still a Huntress and it was her turn to go on patrol tonight. Criminals and Grimm didn't take days off, so they couldn't either.

"Enjoying the view?" said Ozpin's voice from her earpiece.

"More like enjoying the time to myself."

"Sorry to intrude."

"It's fine," responded Glynda, with a laugh, "I like it when you keep me company."

"Not sure how much company I can give you over the radio."

Glynda laughed, sharing her husband's sentiments. "True enough. Try not to stay up too late waiting for me."

"You know I can't sleep without you here, I'll be here for you if you need me."

Glynda shook her head and took one last look at the skyline, before deciding she should move on. She was about to leave the rooftop when she noticed something unsettling in the distance.

"Ozpin, there's a lot of smoke coming from the Southwest."

"Give me a second." replied Ozpin, who could be heard typing on his smart-desk. "Sentries just reported some kind of disturbance in the outskirts, they're keeping an eye on the situation."

"And the police?"

"Already notified."

"Alright, I'm going in."

"I'll let you know if anything new develops."

Goodwitch jumped off the highrise, sliding down the wall before jumping to a lower building. She made her way across the rooftops, as she raced towards the growing plume of black smoke in the distance. She made it as far as downtown Vale before Ozpin came through on the earpiece.

"You have Atlesian soldiers making their way to the gate."

"I'll deal with them!"

"Try to be nice."

"As much as I can bring myself to be!"

The Huntress reached the gate, just as the soldiers were asking the sentries to let them through.

"Hold it!" she called out.

"Glynda Goodwitch?" said one of the soldiers.

"I'm handling this situation."

"With all due respect, Ma'am, we've got this covered. We don't need a Huntress."

Goodwitch narrowed her eyes. "With all due respect, Atlas is here for the Vytal Festival. The city of Vale is not under your jurisdiction, it's under mine."

The squad leader and his second-in-command looked at each other, nervously, before turning back to the Huntress. "What can we do to help?"

"Set up a perimeter and keep things calm in this district. Stand by for my order to move in."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Satisfied that the soldiers were being compliant, Goodwitch motioned to the sentries to open the gate. They let her out and closed the gate behind her, as she rushed towards the orange glow of fire in the distance.

"Well, you handled that well." said Ozpin over the communicator.

"Just because I think Ironwood is an **idiot** doesn't mean I'm going to take it out on his soldiers."

"Good to know. I was almost more worried about **you** hurting them than whatever is outside the walls."

"I'm just glad they're out of the way, they'll be safer inside the city."

Glynda made her way through a lightly wooded area before arriving at a muddy valley, she was shocked to find a large number of burning trucks surrounded by what could only be described as a warzone. A large number of White Fang were fighting a small group of young Hunters, with both sides fending off the Creatures of Grimm as well. She looked closer and recognized the Hunters as students from Beacon.

"Ozpin," she said, as she moved down into the valley, "there are students of ours down here, fighting the White Fang."

"Oh, and how are they doing?"

"I don't care how they're doing, they're all officially on my shitlist!"

"Now now, let's not be **too** hard on them."

"Ozpin, did you know about this?"

"I may have had my suspicions."

"Ozpin!"

"I did not knowingly put our students in danger…this time."

"Ugh, we'll talk about this later, right now I have to clean up this **mess**."

* * *

The battle was becoming far less chaotic as more and more of the Grimm were struck down. Onyx had finally arrived in the valley and was helping V fend a few of them off. He collapsed his sniper rifle, Sureshot, into a semi-automatic assault rifle, a weapon better suited to the closer range. V sent an Ursa flying with a shockwave while Onyx took out a Beowolf with a headshot. The marksman's Aura alerted him to a White Fang member sneaking up on his flank. He grabbed the handle on the left side of his rifle and blasted the man away with the built-on shotgun.

"Beowolf!" called V.

Onyx aimed sideways and fired, sending himself spinning and using the momentum to slash the creature with Sureshot's bayonet. He followed up with a stab to the chest and a shotgun blast to the throat, killing the beast.

On the other side of the battle, Yang and Crimson fought off a large group of Grimm while Amber kept Neo busy. The blonde belly-dancer and the diminutive criminal twirled around one another, flowing smoothly from one move to the next, as each of them looked for an opening. Neo seemed to stumble on a rough patch of ground, Amber slid forward for an overhead slash. The Neapolitan-haired criminal raised her parasol to block the swords and followed up with a high-kick to the face. Amber slid herself back as Neo jumped to her feet, smiling deviously at her newest blonde plaything.

Yang fired explosive shells all around, getting the Beowolves to group together. Crimson pulled at his razor wires, dicing the pack to pieces in one move.

"Nice one." said Yang.

"Thanks."

"We might wanna help you're leader."

Crimson looked over to see Amber and Neo exchanging a flurry of kicks before swinging and throwing each other in opposite directions. "Yeah, you're probably right." he replied, flatly.

Yang reached Amber first, and then noticed the angry expression on her face. "So, hate her yet?"

"That damn smirk on her face just pisses me **off!**"

Neo got up, only to notice the glimmer of razor wire heading right for her. She weaved her way through the wider spaces between the wires, while blocking the more tightly-woven meshes. She was looking for an opening to counter-attack when a purple glow in the distance caught her attention. She looked over to see streams of violet light striking down Grimm and White Fang alike. At the source of the light-show was Glynda Goodwitch, a Beacon Academy Huntress and Ozpin's number two.

_"This is getting too out of hand. Time to disappear."_

Neo jumped back and vanished in a flash of white light. Crimson pulled back his wires, disappointed that his target escaped.

"Is that Professor Goodwitch?" asked Yang, walking up behind him.

"Yep."

"We're in so much trouble." said Amber, as she joined them.

"At least we'll have help finishing up here." said Crimson.

Goodwitch said nothing to the students as she helped them finish off the remaining Grimm. She called the Atlesian troops and a squad of Vale police over to bring in the White Fang, both the living and the dead. The rest of Team RWBY showed up shortly afterwards, relieved to find their teammate safe and relatively unharmed; although, Ruby was fairly disappointed that she missed the massive three-way battle. No one said anything on the flight back to Beacon, but they could all sense the fury radiating from the Huntress in their midst.

* * *

Just **what** were the five of you **thinking!?** Hosting a street race through the outskirts of the city, I don't think I've ever **heard** of something so irresponsible!"

"Aww c'mon Glyndy, it's not like anybody got hurt…'cept for, y'know, those White Fang guys."

"Silence, Mr. Howzer! I thought that even you would know better than to do something this stupid the same day you just finished a previous detention sentence, speaking of which…"

"Oh boy, here we go." said V, rolling his eyes.

"Two weeks detention for all of you." she said, addressing Yang and the rest of Team SHDW. "Except for you, Mr. Howzer, you get three weeks."

"Oh **man!**"

"Be glad that you stopped the Grimm and helped apprehend the White Fang, otherwise those sentences would be in months. You're all dismissed."

The five students left Goodwitch's office, walking down the hall with the rest of Team RWBY, who had been waiting outside.

"How'd it go, Sis?" asked Ruby.

"Two weeks," replied Yang, "we got off easy."

"Easy!?" cried V. "Yeah, **you** did! I got **three** weeks, th-"

"Quit complaining!" yelled Amber, cutting him off with a pull of the ear. "At least you're used to getting detention, I'm gonna be bored to death in there!"

"My parents are not going to be happy if they here about this." added Onyx.

"Look at the bright side," said Yang, "we kicked some White Fang ass and had fun doing it."

"I still can't believe I missed it!" chimed Ruby.

"You can always play hero another day." said Weiss.

"We still need to have a rematch of our race…" said V, "y'know, as soon as I get my car fixed up."

"You're on." said Yang with a chuckle.

"In the meantime," he continued, "I've got a couple of AchieveMen tickets lying around. Y'wanna go with me?"

"Hmm…nah, I think I've had enough fun with you for now. Beat me in that race though…"

"So…maybe, got it." said V as the two teams parted ways in the lobby.

"Y'know," said Crimson, "two years younger and she's still out of your league."

"Shut up."

"C'mon V," said Onyx, with a yawn, "let's get some sleep, we had a long day."

"Yeah, you're right. Hey, wait up!" he called out, chasing the rest of his team, as they headed back to their dorm.

Meanwhile, Glynda had arrived in Ozpin's office, intent on finishing their conversation from earlier.

"So, how did it go?" he asked, as Glynda approached the desk.

"Well, none of the Grimm got near the city and the police have around forty-or-so White Fang in custody."

"I meant with the students." he replied, chuckling at her feigned exasperation.

"Oh, them. Well, you know, I figured a few months of detention would teach them a lesson."

"Glynda."

"Alright, I only gave them a few weeks. Tell me though, did you know they would run into the White Fang tonight?"

Ozpin shook his head. "No, but I had a feeling that Team SHDW would eventually encounter criminal elements. With the more illicit activities they partake in, such as the occasional street race, it was only a matter of time."

"Kind of a haphazard way of doing things."

"The academy alone sometimes isn't enough. The students need actual combat experience to be ready for life as Hunters."

"Well, a skirmish with a band of international terrorists will certainly give them some extra practice. What if I hadn't intervened?"

"I'm confident they would've succeeded regardless, but thank you for looking after them."

"No need to thank me; I don't know how I'd live with myself if anything happened to them, even if they're nothing but trouble half the time."

Ozpin smiled, happy to be reminded that Glynda truly cared about the students she usually showed open disdain for. He was also glad to know that she still trusted his training methods after all these years, no matter how unorthodox they were.

"Well, I'm going to get ready for bed. Don't work too late."

"Before you go," said Ozpin, stopping her, "James called earlier, after you joined the battle in the outskirts."

"Oh, and how did **that** go?"

"It went well enough. He's cooled off quite a bit and apologized for taking things too far, he never meant to put my job in jeopardy."

"And I suppose all he has to do is apologize and all is forgiven."

"This is a very unstable and unprecedented situation, we're all under a lot of pressure. Fighting amongst ourselves won't help anyone."

"Fine," Said Glynda, with a heavy sigh, "I suppose we can put off the discussion about conflicts of interest until **after** the festival."

Ozpin nodded in agreement as Glynda saw herself out. He let out a sigh of his own, as the elevator started its way down. Glynda would not be as willing to forgive James as he was, but he had to reconcile the two if they were to stand against the enemies among them; after all, such enemies would only bring more to their doorstep.

* * *

"Most of the operation was blown, my men are either dead or in prison, and **both** our asses are on the line now, all because of **you!**" yelled Adam Taurus, chastising a bitter-faced Neo.

"…"

"You're lucky this failure was as much their fault as it was yours, otherwise I'd have killed you already!"

"…"

"Well, don't you have anything to say for yourself!?"

"Enough." said Cinder Fall, as she sauntered into the dark room. "About a third of the trucks still made it to their destination, we now have more than enough Grimm to carry out the operation. I'd say this was a success."

"A success?" asked Adam, incredulously. "Most of the men I sent on this job are locked up now, to say nothing about the ones that died! Unless your operation includes a prison break, I'd hardly call this a success!"

"Mind your tone, or perhaps you've forgotten who's in charge." she warned, eyes glowing. "Worry not, springing the jails was always part of the plan."

Adam calmed down upon hearing this, while Neo looked up optimistically. "Alright," he said, "so what's next?"

"The White Fang will cease all activity for the time being. Organize your forces and be ready, the time to strike is near."

"Understood."

"As for you…"said Cinder, turning to Neo. "I have a **special** assignment for you, one I'm sure you'll enjoy." she said with a menacing smile.

* * *

**A/N: Well, how was that? What did you think of the OC team? Drop a review if you wanna let me know what you thought and if there's anything I can improve on. I'll also give a shout out in the next chapter to anyone who can name what car the Pleiades Inspira is supposed to be in real life. **

**And yes, this was started before Volume 3 started (SPOILERS INCOMING). I had no idea there was going to be a character named Amber in the show (at least not this early, I mean it _is a _pretty obvious name to use in a series where everyone is named after a color). I had no idea the White Fang were going to smuggle Grimm into the city. I did _want _Neo to break Roman out, and they gave us that. It was all a happy coincidence. The only parts that were written with Volume 3 episodes in mind was some of the stuff towards the end really. **

**Anyway, I'm already outlining Chapter 5 and I'm gonna make a few updates to previous chapters (just some minor changes in light of some new info). School just started, but I'll try not to take 6 months to write it (I mean, there was also that MonCon entry I blitzed out and I started teaching myself animation). I'm also planning a couple of things involving Roman and Neo, so that should be fun. **

**Thanks again and see you all next time. **


	5. Chapter 5: Remembrance

**A/N: Surprise, surprise, I'm not dead! I haven't been writing anywhere near as often as I would like though, so after more delays than I ever thought possible, here is chapter 5 of Marvelous Misadventures. **

**Disclaimer: There are lines of dialogue in this fic that are a reference to Fullmetal Alchemist. They are solely there as a nod to the series, one that I very much like. I do not, in any way, own the rights to FMA. All credit for those lines of dialogue goes, of course, to Hiromu Arakawa and all other associated creators and license holders for the FMA franchise. **

* * *

Chapter 5: Remembrance

"…so that's that. The air is finally cleared between Vale and Atlas."

"Good, one less international incident to worry about." said Ozpin, to the holographic screen. "And what of Cinder Fall?"

"She and her cohorts have gone underground, they're ghosts. On the bright side, they're now wanted all across the four kingdoms, every Hunter on the planet is after their heads."

"Excellent, that should restrict their movements for now. Anything else, James?"

"Just one more thing," responded General Ironwood, "Roman Torchwick and his partner."

"Ah, yes. I believe they were merely pawns in the grand scheme of things, I doubt we'll get anything out of them."

"Well, regardless, we've tracked them to Oasis in Vacuo. We'll keep an eye on them, see what develops."

"Very well. I guess that will be all for today, keep me updated."

"I will. And Oz…try not to work too hard today."

Professor Ozpin dismissed the holo-screen and let out a sigh of relief. The past several weeks had been among the busiest in recent memory. The attack on Vale during the Vytal Festival had caused extensive damage to both the city and the school. To make matters worse, Cinder Fall, the leader of the attack, had obtained a great and terrible power, one of four that Ozpin was responsible for safeguarding. While the attack was ultimately repelled, the repairs were slow going, and relations between the kingdoms were put on edge by Cinder's machinations.

The exhausted Headmaster slumped back in his chair, rubbing his forehead, when the elevator chimed. Glynda Goodwitch walked into the damaged office with a drained look on her face.

"Glynda, good morning." said Ozpin, continuing his work, solemnly.

"Morning. How are the politics coming along?"

"Well enough. James just told me that Vale's Council has dropped the charges against Atlas. What about the repairs, how are they coming along?"

"Ugh, I wish we had another professor who could use telekinesis."

"You'll get it done, just don't overwork yourself."

"Believe me, I'm taking frequent breaks. How about you, holding up well?"

"I just barely fought off the new Fall Maiden and then helped our professors slay a Dragon. I could be doing worse."

"Well, leave it to you to pull off a miracle." said Glynda, as she moved behind Ozpin to massage his shoulders.

"That was hardly a miracle, I'm still a long way from being back to full power. I was actually getting worried until Professor Peach and Professor Cobalt arrived."

"Then it's a good thing you agreed to hire them, I told you they had talent."

"That you did." responded Ozpin, with a sigh. "Now, we still need to figure out what we're going to do about **her**."

"Who? …Oh."

"Mmm, this is an unusually bold move. She must be planning something big."

"Sometimes I wish we could just storm that wretched woman's homeland and be done with it."

"As do I, but humanity is far from ready, and I'm in no condition to do it myself."

"I know." she said in frustration.

Ozpin sighed heavily.

"Alright, what's wrong?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't 'hmm' me. I can feel it in your muscles, something else is bothering you."

"Am I that obvious?"

"To me, yes."

"…It's that day again, the day of Summer Rose's funeral."

"Oh," said Glynda, stopping her hands, "already? Time really does fly."

"Indeed."

"She and her team sure caused a lot of trouble, didn't they?" she asked, with a sad smile.

"Yes, Team STRQ. I still remember the day they arrived here."

LINE BREAK

_It was a sunny morning at Beacon Academy as several airships arrived at the docks, bringing new students to the cliff-top school. They filed out of the ships, eager to explore their new campus. Two students in particular, took things more slowly, soaking in every detail of their surroundings. _

_ One was a boy with spiked-back black hair and dull red eyes. He wore a white and grey button-up shirt and black pants. Grey pauldrons on his shoulders held up a pristine red cape that went down to his knees. His companion was a girl with wild, flowing black hair down to her waist and vibrant crimson eyes. She wore a black and red gi, wrapped in an obi, and tucked into a black pleated skirt. Segmented red armguards covered her forearms, while a pair of black thigh-highs covered her legs underneath red knee-high boots. _

_ "Whoa, this place is __**huge**__!" exclaimed the boy. _

_ "It certainly is impressive." said the girl. _

_ "Well, c'mon," he said, stepping forward, "let's check out the grounds." _

_ "Hold it, Qrow." said the girl, calling after him. "Did you forget? We need to go to the amphitheater, we can't be wasting time here." _

_ "Oh quit being such a buzkill, Raven." _

_ "We're here to get stronger, we can't do that if you don't take it seriously." _

_ "True, but there's nothing wrong with taking the time to enjoy ourselves while we're at it. You need to lighten up, Sis." _

_ "I don't have time to lighten up." _

_ "Yeah, that's kinda your problem." said Qrow, in a whisper. _

_ "Oof…sorry! Hey, watch it!" cried a distressed voice. _

_ The arguing siblings looked over to try and find the source. They saw a girl with black hair and silver eyes, lying on the ground with her belongings strewn around her. She wore a black, gothic-style combat skirt, which was currently tangled up in the long white cloak she wore over it. _

_ "Do you have time to help a fellow Huntress-in-training?" asked Qrow, with a sly grin. _

_ Raven sighed and rolled her eyes before walking towards the struggling girl. "Hey." she said, offering her a hand. _

_ "Oh, thanks." said the girl, smiling up at the kind Samaritan. "I kinda got caught up in that last rush off the ship." _

_ "I see." said Raven, now helping the girl gather her luggage. _

_ "I'm Summer, by the way." _

_ "Raven." _

_ Qrow stood back and watched as the girls struck up a conversation. He was glad to see Raven socializing with another student. She had a tendency to be a loner and shut other people out, Qrow was hoping their time at Beacon would change that. _

_ "Hey, uh, you know where we're supposed to be headed?" asked someone behind him. _

_ Qrow turned around to see a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore an open brown vest, over a collared yellow shirt. He had a burnt-orange bandanna tied around his left arm and dull orange cargo shorts. _

_ "If you mean for the initiation speech, the amphitheater. It's the big glass-ceiling thing next to the main building." _

_ "Thanks. Oh, I'm Taiyang." _

_ "Name's Qrow, Qrow Branwen." _

_ "Qrow, got it." responded the boy, glancing over at the two girls off to the side. "So, uh, who're the two babes?" _

_ "Well, the one with the white cloak is Summer, we just met. The one helping her is actually my __**twin sister**__." _

_ Taiyang's face fell. "Oh…I, uh, I'm sorry." he said, tugging at his collar. "I'm really sorry, please don't kill me." _

_ "Don't worry about it, I won't." _

_ "You won't? Why no-" _

_ "Qrow," said Raven, cutting him off, "we're done here. Who's this?" _

_ "This is Tai-"_

_ "Taiyang Xiao Long, it's a pleasure to meet you." _

_ "Hmm, whatever. Let's go." she replied, as she walked away. _

_ Taiyang was a bit dumbstruck by the apathetic response, staring at the girl as she walked away. _

_ "That's why." said Qrow, giving Taiyang a pat on the shoulder as he followed his sister. _

_ "Um, hi, I'm Summer." _

_ "Tai." _

_ The four new students eventually found their way to the amphitheater, where a sizable crowd had already gathered. The first-years were all chatting away as they waited for someone to welcome them to their new school. Everyone's conversations died down when they saw a blonde-haired woman with glasses take the stage, followed closely by a silver-haired man in a dark-green suit. All attention centered on the man as he walked up to the microphone. _

_ "I'll…keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of strength, to sharpen your minds and learn new things. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose - direction. You assume strength will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that strength can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." _

_ The man, who many now recognized as the schools headmaster, walked offstage, as the woman took his place at the microphone. _

_ "You will gather in the ballroom tonight, tomorrow your initiation begins, be ready. You are dismissed." she said, before following the man offstage. _

_ The amphitheater burst to life once more, as some students began talking about the Headmaster's speech. _

_ "You think he gives that same speech every year?" asked Taiyang. _

_ Summer shrugged in reply. _

_ Qrow and Raven joined the crowd of students leaving the room, intent on making their way to the ballroom. Summer and Tai decided to explore the campus for a while before doing the same. All four of them needed their rest for the long day ahead of them. _

_ The next morning, the first year students assembled at the top of Beacon Cliff to await their initiation. Headmaster Ozpin and the blonde woman, Professor Goodwitch, were already their waiting for them. Goodwitch directed each student onto a launchpad before Ozpin addressed them. _

_ "For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." _

_ "All of you will be assigned teammates during the examination." said Goodwitch. _

_ Some of the students murmured amongst themselves, having already heard talk of teams the previous night. _

_ "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon," said Ozpin, "so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." _

_ Several students flinched upon hearing this. Raven, in particular, was dumbfounded that such a prestigious academy would use such an asinine method for selecting teams. _

_ "After you've partnered up, make your way to the Northern end of the forest." Ozpin continued. "You will meet opposition along the way, do not hesitate to destroy everything you find in your path…or you will die." _

_ A few students' faces paled. _

_ "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not interfere. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics, each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff; we will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" _

_ "Yes, sir." began Raven. _

_ "Good." said the Headmaster, cutting her off. "Now, take your positions." _

_ "Sir, I have a question." she repeated, angrily. _

_ A launchpad went off, catapulting a student into the air. _

_ "What if we are unsatisfied with the partner we receive?" she asked, as another student was sent flying. _

_ "Then you will be disqualified for violating the terms of the examination." replied Ozpin, as yet another student flew. _

"Shit."_ she thought, as she turned to see Qrow wave to her before he was sent flying. _

_ Realizing that it couldn't be helped, Raven braced herself for takeoff. _

_ As Raven flew through the air, she activated her Semblance, transforming into the very bird she was named after, and flying through the trees. Once she felt she had gotten low enough, she changed back into a human in a flurry of black feathers. _

"Okay, I've got to find Qrow as soon as possible."_ she thought, as she ran through the thick woods. _"No way am I going to risk ending up with some random incompetent for a partner."

_ Meanwhile, Qrow made an identical landing elsewhere, breaking into a sprint as soon as he transformed back to normal. _

"Alright, gotta find anyone **but **Raven." _he thought, as he searched frantically for a partner. "Sorry Sis, but this is for your own good!" _

_ Qrow was so occupied with his search that he almost didn't notice two Ursa lunge out of the bushes in front of him. He swiftly jumped out of the way, just as their menacing claws were about to reach him. _

_ "I don't suppose we can talk this out?" asked Qrow, as he pulled a massive shotgun off his back. _

_ One of the Ursa snarled in response. _

_ "I was hoping you'd say that." _

_ The Ursa charged forward, only to get sent flying by a shotgun blast. The other one roared threateningly, as it prepared to do the same. Qrow twirled his shotgun around, unfolding it into a large scythe. With a flip and a spin, he jumped over the bear-like monster and sliced its head clean off. _

_ "That all ya got!?" _

_ He turned around upon hearing the roar of the Ursa he sent flying earlier. With a dangerous smile, he readied his weapon. _

_ "YEAH!" came a yell from above. _

_ Qrow looked up to see a blonde boy drop down from the trees before colliding with the Ursa. An explosion erupted from the boy's outstretched fist, killing the beast and warping the ground beneath it. Out of the fire stepped Taiyang Xiao Long, equipped with a large mechanical gauntlet that covered his entire forearm. _

_ "Hey. Qrow, right?" _

_ "So, __**you're**__ my partner?" asked Qrow, narrowing his eyes. _

_ "Um…yeah. Look man, I'm sorry…about before, I didn't know that was your sister." _

_ "Relax, I'm just messing with you. Besides, anyone crazy enough to kill an Ursa like __**that**__ has earned my respect." said Qrow, walking off. _

_ Tai smiled and followed after him. "That's a cool shotgun-scythe, by the way." _

_ "Thanks, your gauntlet's not half-bad either." _

_ "So, now what?" _

_ "Guess I should look for my sister." _

_ "You think she's in trouble?" _

_ "Nah, she can handle herself." _

_ Raven was currently bouncing between a group of closely packed trees, slashing through the air with her red-bladed katana as she did so. She had somehow run into an entire pack of Beowolves and was now slowly fighting them off, there were about fifteen left by her last count. _

"Damn things, this is such a waste of time."

_ A Beowolf moved to strike her head-on, while another moved up on her left flank. Raven sheathed her sword, preparing to cut them both down in one move, when a pair of rifle shots rang through the trees. The two beasts fell to the ground, the tops of their heads scraped clean off by the unknown shooter. Raven looked up and saw a sliver of white moving through the trees. With a graceful flip, Summer Rose dropped down from the trees, landing behind Raven and shifting her sniper rifle into a more appropriate lance form. _

_ "Need a hand?" she asked, excitedly. _

_ "Hmph, as long as you're offering." replied Raven, with a smirk. _

_ The two young women made short work of their foes, even cutting down a few trees in the process. When they were finished, they looked upon their work with a sense of triumph, before finally turning to each other. _

_ "So, you're my partner?" asked Raven, frowning. "Could be worse." she finished, with a smile. _

_ Summer smiled in return, as they started heading in the direction of the forest temple. _

_ "Y'know, you were pretty awesome back there." said Summer. _

_ "You weren't bad yourself." _

_ Summer smiled at the compliment, happy that the quiet girl seemed to be opening up. _

_ The girls continued making their way through the forest. It was a fairly uneventful run, Raven assumed they simply got lucky enough not to run into any Grimm. They eventually arrived at a clearing with some old ruins in the center. _

_ "Looks like we made it!" cheered Summer. _

_ Raven simply nodded. _

_ They stepped into the ruins and looked around to find several stone pedestals with objects on top of them. _

_ "What are these, chess pieces?" asked Summer. _

_ "I believe these are the relics we need to take." _

_ "Oh, I guess that makes sense. So, which one are we getting?" _

_ Raven eyed the small, black horse head nearby. "Knight." she said, removing it from its pedestal. _

_ "Okay! Why that one?" _

_ "Hm?" _

_ "Why'd you pick that one?" _

_ "Oh. Well, the knight is a symbol of strength, it's powerful. I want to be powerful, the most powerful Huntress in the world." _

_ "Ah, okay. But a black knight, seriously?" _

_ "W-well, the gold ones were taken already." _

_ "Oh yeah, I guess some people got here before us." _

_ "Great, then we're already lagging behind. C'mon, we should get back to the cliff." _

_ The Huntresses-in-training were about to move out when they heard voices coming from the trees. _

_ "Man, that was rough." said a voice that was vaguely familiar. _

_ "I told you we should've gone left." responded a voice that Raven definitely recognized. _

_ Qrow emerged from the tree line, accompanied by the blonde boy from yesterday. They were absorbed enough in their conversation to not notice Raven standing in front of them with her arms crossed. _

_ "Qrow!" she yelled, getting their attention. _

_ "Oh, hey Raven, glad you made it." _

_ "Don't give me that crap! You avoided me on purpose after landing, didn't you?" _

_ "Well…" _

_ While Qrow tried to reason with his sister, Taiyang moved over to talk to Summer. The white-cloaked girl was looking back and forth apprehensively, as her partner had a heated exchange with the other boy. _

_ "Why are they fighting?" asked Summer, as she noticed her blonde-haired acquaintance. _

_ "They're not fighting; just arguing," responded Tai, "they're siblings, so it's pretty normal." _

_ "You sure?" _

_ "Oh yeah, I know these brothers in my village that are always at each other's throats." _

_ "Well, if you say so." _

_ "So, this is the temple we're looking for?" asked Tai, looking back at the ruins. _

_ "Yup. The chess pieces inside are the relics." _

_ "Sweet. Which one did you guys take?" _

_ "Black Knight." _

_ "Black Knight? Badass!" _

_ "There's one left if you want it." said Summer, with a laugh. _

_ Taiyang ran over to the pedestals and grabbed the chess piece in question. He ran back, ready to go, but was disappointed to find that Qrow and Raven were still arguing. _

_ "This is just like that time in that town, when you left me alone with those kids that ended up pulling on my hair!" yelled Raven. _

_ "How is this __**anything**__ like that!?" countered Qrow. _

_ "Hey, guys!" said Taiyang, walking up to the quarrelling twins. "I don't wanna interrupt your sibling bonding time or anything, but don't you think we should go?" _

_ "Who are you?" asked Raven. _

_ "Taiyang, we met yesterday, briefly." _

_ "Oh." _

_ "~And is that a Dust sword you've got there?" asked the blonde, craning his neck to see the sheathed katana on her hip. _

_ "Um, yes." she replied, staring at the boy in amazement. "You can tell it's a Dust sword even though it's sheathed?" _

_ "Well yeah, sorry, I'm a bit of a dork when it comes to weapons." _

_ "Hey," called Qrow, "Tai is right, we should get moving." _

_ "Right." said Raven. "Summer, you coming?" _

_ "Be right th-" started Summer, getting cut off as she felt the ground shake. _

_ The other three students looked around nervously, as the ground shook once more. _

_ Meanwhile, at the top of Beacon Cliff, Glynda rushed to Ozpin's side with a panicked look on her face. _

_ "Ozpin, we have a problem." _

_ "So I've noticed. Have Peter monitor the situation and step in if he believes it is necessary." _

_ "But, the students." _

_ "I understand your concern, but I have a feeling those four will be just fine." _

_ Glynda saw the serious, yet confident, look on his face. "Very well." she said, pulling up Professor Port on her tablet. _

_ Back in the forest, the four students in question were scrambling through the trees to get away from the temple as quickly as possible. _

_ "That…that's a BIG Deathstalker!" yelled Taiyang, as he glanced back at the house-sized scorpion that was currently chasing them. _

_ "Where are Qrow and Raven!?" asked Summer, as she frantically searched for her new friends. _

_ A clashing of metal turned her attention to the Deathstalker, which had just stopped leveling the trees in front of it. Raven and Qrow were moving at blinding speed with blades in hand, hacking away at the creature's legs and claws. _

_ "Dear god, they're actually slowing it down!" said Tai in disbelief. _

_ Summer gasped, as the Deathstalker lost its patience with its tiny attackers and moved to crush one of them in each of its claws. In a flurry of black feathers, the Branwen siblings transformed into a pair of corvids, slipping between the monstrous pincers at the last second. The birds flew over to their relieved friends, before turning human once more. _

_ "You two have the same Semblance?" asked Taiyang. _

_ "It's a twin thing." replied Raven, bluntly. _

_ "You two can turn into birds!?" asked Summer, excitedly. _

_ "Yup." responded Qrow. _

_ The students' conversation was cut short by the roar of the enraged beast, as it began knocking down more trees to get to its prey. _

_ "We need to move." said Taiyang. _

_ "No." said Summer, surprising the others were her firm denial. "If we keep running, that thing will only keep chasing us. Who knows how much damage it will cause. We have to stop it, here and now." _

_ Raven smiled and nodded in agreement. "She's right. Besides, I'm not about to let this thing hunt us down like animals." _

_ "Yeah," added Qrow, "we're gonna be Hunters one day, we can take this thing." _

_ Taiyang looked around at the others and sighed. "Alright, so what's the plan?" _

_ Another loud roar came from the Deathstalker, as it knocked down a row of trees only a few meters away. _

_ "First, move!" yelled Summer, as the four students scattered high into the trees around them. _

_ The creature tore down the branches they had just been standing on, as they regrouped out of range. _

_ "I'm gonna distract it!" said Summer, drawing her sniper rifle and leaping further away. _

_ "Tai, think you can break that armor!?" asked Qrow. _

_ "Yeah, if I can get high enough! I just need that stinger out of the way!" _

_ "Leave that to me" said Raven, before she disappeared into the trees. _

_ Taiyang started climbing up even further to get into position for his attack. _

_ "Guess I'll just go for the legs then" said Qrow, drawing his scythe. _

_ Sniper fire rang out from the higher branches, pelting the beast's face and drawing it deeper into the woods. Trees shifted and fell as the creature made its way towards the source of its discomfort. Taiyang leaped through the branches, trying to find a more stable tree to climb. _

_ Meanwhile, on the ground, Qrow dashed between the tree trunks while the monster was distracted. He got underneath it and began hacking away at its legs. The Deathstalker roared and hissed as its sliced limbs caused it to buckle under its own weight. A crow flew out from under the scorpion just as it fell. A raven flew in and joined its twin before the two shifted back into human form. _

_ "Cutting it close again?" asked Raven. _

_ "You know me. I'm gonna draw out the tail, get ready to hit it." _

_ "Right." _

_ "Just don't miss, okay." added Qrow, as he ran off. _

_ "Hmph, as if I would." _

_ Qrow swung around to the front of the creature, blasting its face with his shotgun to get its attention. It raised its stinger into the air and prepared to strike the young man down. The glowing orange stinger shot forward with blinding speed, but Qrow was too fast for it. He maneuvered around the trees, only for them to be pulverized by the monster's tail. _

"Damn, that's not gonna work." _he thought, as he looked around. He spotted a massive boulder off to the side. _"But that might."

_ Qrow ran for the boulder, shooting the Deathstalker as he moved. "Hey Bugsy, think you can keep up!?" _

_ The beast roared and began dragging itself along the ground with its claws to chase him. Qrow reached the boulder, continuing to take pot-shots at the monster once he arrived. The Deathstalker eventually reached him and prepared to strike with its tail once more. Qrow dodged the attack and watched as the stinger embedded itself in the rock. The creature tried to pull itself free, but between the depth of the sting and the lack of leverage from its legs, it could only struggle as it was left wide open. _

_ In the trees, just slightly above the Deathstalker, Raven was lying in wait for this very opportunity. Her red blade wreathed itself in flames when she pulled the trigger on the grip. She jumped and propped her feet up on the tree trunk, before kicking off and rocketing towards her target at high speed. With a single swing, the superheated blade severed the Deathstalker's tail, melting through it like a hot knife would through butter. _

_ Up in the treetops, Taiyang looked on as the beast screamed in agony. Seeing the opening he was waiting for, he jumped down and plummeted towards the staggering monster. He gained speed, while his gauntlet sparked and glowed, as he fell. He pulled his fist back and let out a primal yell, before punching the Deathstalker in the top of the head. The creature fell silent, as its armor gave way beneath the impact. A violent explosion shook the area around them, causing the entire bony shell to crack. _

_ Taiyang hopped off and landed in front of his kill, panting and trying to catch his breath. Qrow and Raven ran up to him, while Summer hopped through the trees to join them. The white-caped girl hesitated as she noticed the seemingly dead Deathstalker start to twitch slightly. The creature's blank eyes flared back to their usual red, as it closed in on the three unsuspecting students with its massive claws. _

_ Summer didn't have time to think, she simply reacted. She turned her rifle into its lance form, which extended an additional blade to turn into a halberd. Before she knew what she was doing, she had fired off a shot to propel herself through the air, rapidly spinning forward towards the monster threatening her new friends. Her silver eyes began to glow a brilliant white, energy flowed from her hands into her weapon; with a single swing, she sliced the creature in half from front to back. _

_ The others watched in awe, as a massive crescent-shaped energy blade shot forward from the point of impact. The shockwave that followed turned the now-bisected Grimm into vapor. _

_ "Whoa, how did you do that!?" asked Taiyang. _

_ Qrow whistled in astonishment. "Damn!" _

_ Raven simply stood there, slack-jawed. She could hardly believe the friendly girl she had just met yesterday was capable of such power. _

_ Summer put her hand on her head, shaking off a dizzy spell. "I don't know, I don't even know what just happened. I saw the Deathstalker move and I just had to stop it before it hurt any of you." _

_ "Well, either way, that was incredible." said Taiyang. _

_ Summer smiled as she got back on her feet. _

_ "Hey," said Qrow, "if you're good to go, we should really head back." _

_ "Right." said Raven, taking her partner's arm over her shoulder in support. _

_ Meanwhile, back on Beacon Cliff, Professor Ozpin continued to observe the team's progress. . _

_ "I just recalled Professor Port." said Glynda, walking up to him. "I'm sorry, Ozpin. I have no idea how we missed a Deathstalker of that size." _

_ "Hmm, no matter. It all worked out in the end." _

_ The rest of the initiation continued relatively without incident. Any students that supposedly 'died,' as Ozpin said they would, were promptly escorted to the air-dock to be sent back home; they were advised to keep training, and to try again next year. Those who had passed gathered in the amphitheater for their acceptance ceremony. _

_ "Raven Branwen, Qrow Branwen, Summer Rose, and Taiyang Xiao Long." said Ozpin, as the four students walked up to him on stage. "The four of you recovered the Black Knight pieces. From this day forward, you shall be known as Team STRQ, led by Summer Rose." _

_ The crowd applauded, as Summer shook off the surprise and waved to them. Qrow and Tai placed their hands on her shoulders and offered their congratulations. Raven nodded in affirmation; her response reserved, but happy all the same. _

_LINE BREAK_

The students of Beacon had been slow to return to normal school life. The damage done in the battle had demolished many of the classrooms. Luckily, most of the dorms were left unscathed, meaning the students still had a place to stay; this was good news to students like Ren and Nora who had nowhere to go, and others like Ivory Keys whose home had been heavily damaged by the attack on the city. The dining hall had also been left mostly intact, giving the students a place to gather and relax as they enjoyed a well-cooked meal.

"How is Ivory holding up?" asked Blake.

"She's doing well." replied Weiss. "Her mansion was destroyed by the White Fang and Grimm, but her family managed to evacuate before they arrived. She said she'll be coming back to school in a few days, once her family is done settling into their temporary residence."

"That's good to hear."

"What about Sun and Neptune? I haven't heard from them."

"Their team is back at Haven already, helping law enforcement prepare for Cinder and her group."

"That's great, tell them to stay safe." said Weiss, as she looked over to Team JNPR. "What about you, Pyrrha? How's your ankle doing?"

The redhead looked over and smiled. "It's fully healed already, but the doctor told me to hold off on any training for another few days, just to be safe."

"Well safety is one thing you **certainly **need." scolded Weiss. "What were you **thinking** going back in there? I can't believe I'm saying this, but if Jaune hadn't been there you would've **died**."

"I know, I'm sorry." said Pyrrha, looking down. "I just felt that I needed to help."

"It's okay, Pyrrha," said Jaune, placing his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, "we both tried our best; although, I honestly think we just got in Ozpin's way more than anything else."

"Ooh," chimed Nora, "how did Old Man Oz hold up in a fight!?"

"He was incredible." said Pyrrha.

"Yeah, I don't even think Ruby could move that **fast**." added Jaune.

Nora's eyes widened with excitement, undoubtedly thinking of all the crazy battles the Beacon Headmaster must have fought in over the years.

"Speaking of," said Weiss, "Ruby, Yang, what's with you today? I don't think I've ever seen you two this somber."

Everyone looked over to the two girls, wondering how they all failed to notice their unusually quiet behavior. Ruby would have been coming up with some kind of fun activity for them to do by now, and Yang would have been badgering Jaune and Pyrrha about their love life as soon as they sat down.

Ruby and Yang nodded to each other before turning to their friends, their expressions staying solemn.

"Today's the day of our mom's funeral." said Ruby, quietly.

Everyone's expressions softened as they registered what Ruby had just said.

"Hard to believe it's been eleven years already." said Yang.

"That long?" asked Jaune.

"I'm so sorry." said Pyrrha, taking Jaune's hand.

"It's no biggie," said Yang, "we're sad that she's gone, but we remember all the happy times we had with her."

"That's good," said Ren, "the important thing is that you keep her in your hearts and honor her memory."

"And boy do we have a lot of memories of her." said Yang, perking up slightly.

"Yeah, not to mention all the stories Uncle Qrow told us." said Ruby, excitedly. "Oh, there was this one time when they were still in Beacon…"

LINE BREAK

_The four years after Team STRQ's initiation were quite interesting, not only because of the team's impressive performance, but also their capacity to cause trouble wherever they went. Whether it was Qrow's constant smuggling of liquor into the dorms, or Taiyang's mythical escapades walking out of nightclubs with multiple young women following him, the boys of Team STRQ were happy to take full advantage of their 'rebellious teen years.' This was not to say the girls of the team were trouble free however; Summer had her fair share of mishaps experimenting in the kitchen, while Raven waged a campaign of terror against every bully on campus. _

_ Team STRQ's first year saw Taiyang and Qrow become fast friends, as they pulled a variety of pranks throughout the school. They would carry out their 'work' at night and see the campus's reaction the next morning. One such night had Qrow meeting Tai at the base of Beacon Tower. _

_ "Did you get it?" asked Tai. _

_ "Sure did, one bag full of top-quality spray paint." replied Qrow, holding up a plastic bag. _

_ "Nice, I picked out a good spot, over here." said Tai, leading his partner over to a section of wall not covered by bushes. _

_ "You sure you're up for this?" _

_ "You doubting my artistic talents?" asked Tai, with a look of mock disbelief. _

_ "No, just doubting that you can take the backlash headed our way if Goodwitch finds out." _

_ The two boys got to work, using the can of black paint to outline their mural. They would steal the occasional glance at a drawing they had made earlier for their reference. Once the outline was complete, they added the color, going through six whole cans of paint before they were done. Satisfied with their work, they snuck back to their dorm and went to sleep. _

_ The boys got up bright and early the next morning, much to the surprise of their female teammates. They all left the dormitory together and noticed a large crowd of students gathered around Beacon Tower. Summer and Raven moved toward the front of the laughing mob, curious about what their classmates found so funny; Qrow and Tai just smiled at one another, already knowing the answer. _

_ When Team STRQ finally got to the front of the crowd, Raven and Summer's jaws dropped. Spray-painted on the wall of the tower was an image of Beacon Academy's Deputy Headmistress and Chief Disciplinarian, Glynda Goodwitch. The graffiti artists, however, had taken some 'creative liberties' with the Professor's appearance. They had painted her with green skin and a long, pointed nose. Painted alongside the less-than-flattering mural were the words 'Professor Badwitch.' Summer couldn't help but laugh at the humiliating image, while Raven simply stared back at her male teammates, who were snickering amongst themselves behind her. _

_ "Please don't tell me you two are responsible for this." _

_ "Whoa, hey, easy there." said Qrow, quickly covering his sister's mouth with his hand. "You want the whole school to hear you?" _

_ "No, I want to see Goodwitch peel the flesh from your bones when she sees this." she responded, slapping down her brother's intrusive hand. _

_ "Aw, c'mon," chimed Taiyang, "you don't really think she can do that…do you?" _

_ "What is the meaning of this!?" called out the voice of the professor in question. _

_ Qrow and Tai jumped upon hearing her, they quickly hid behind Raven and Summer, respectively. The rest of the crowd parted along the middle to make a path for the Professor, and quieted down as she stormed to the front. She froze in shock upon reaching the front and seeing the graffiti. The blonde-haired disciplinarian grit her teeth, more in annoyance than anger, before turning on the students. _

_ "When I find out who is responsible for this vandalism, there will be __**dire**__ consequences! You are all dismissed!" _

_ The students dispersed with fear and panic, as Goodwitch began stripping the mural off the wall, molecule-by-molecule, with her telekinesis. Taiyang watched in awe and horror, as he and his team headed off towards the dining hall. _

_ "Y'know, you might've been right about the whole 'peeling flesh off our bones' thing." he said. _

_ Raven just smirked. _

_ Naturally, Goodwitch eventually found out who painted the graffiti. Qrow and Tai were subjected to detention for the whole semester. It would have been the whole school year if Ozpin had not found the stunt amusing and talked Goodwitch out of it, much to her exasperation. The boys would get what was coming to them in their second year, however. _

_ By the time Team STRQ's second year at Beacon came around, Raven had grown tired of Tai and Qrow's flippant attitudes and constant practical jokes. They were here to become Hunters, not become comedians, and Raven intended to whip them all into shape. It started one morning, two weeks into the year, when Qrow and Tai went out for their morning run in the Emerald Forest. Raven and Summer had gotten up earlier and had already left, not an uncommon occurrence. _

_ "So, you see that new car they were showing off in Vale the other day?" asked Qrow. _

_ "Yeah, it's a new Pleiades model, the Inspira." _

_ "Looks pretty affordable for a sports car. You planning on getting one?" _

_ "Hopefully, I can't wait to tinker around under the hood." _

_ Heh, you and your machi-" _

_ "WHOA!" yelled the two boys in unison, as the ground collapsed beneath their feet. They fell into a pitfall trap and landed on top of one another. They struggled to move and look up at the wall of the hole; it was a sheer drop, easily seven or eight feet by what they could tell. _

_ "Hey Qrow, you okay?" _

_ "Ugh, no. You shoulder-bombed my pelvic ring when we hit bottom, think I'm gonna need a hip replacement." _

_ "You have Aura, you'll be fine." _

_ "You fell for it, just like I thought you would." said a girl's voice, from above. "How pathetic." _

_ Tai and Qrow looked up to find Raven staring down at them from the top of the hole. _

_ "What the!?" exclaimed Tai, in shock. _

_ "Raven, you did this!?" asked Qrow. _

_ "I did!" _

_ "Why, why would you do this to us!?" asked Tai, as he began scaling the wall. _

_ "Yeah, what the hell, Sis!?" said Qrow, following him. _

_ "Your constant tomfoolery was beginning to get on my nerves." she replied. "Besides, I thought this would be a good way to point out just how weak and inattentive you all are." _

_ Tai reached the top of the hole, only to find Summer giggling to herself nearby. "Don't tell me you were in on this, too." said the blonde brawler. _

_ "Sorry," she replied, "but with all the pranks you two pull, it was too good to pass up." _

_ "That why you get a free pass," asked, as he emerged from the pitfall, "because you thought it would be funny?" _

_ "For today," said Raven, earning a worried glance from the hooded girl, "and it's actually because she dug the hole." _

_ Suddenly, Summer's involvement made a bit more sense. Halfway through their previous year, an incident happened that was similar to the one during their initiation. The team was in danger fighting a giant Grimm when Summer sprang into action. Her silver eyes shined with a brilliant white light, and she killed the monster with relative ease. Ozpin then informed them that Summer possessed an ancient power, and began teaching her to use it. Summer's mysterious abilities would certainly explain how she and Raven had made such a deep pitfall in such a short amount of time. _

_ "You two are savages, you know that." said Tai, with the best look of mock disappointment he could muster. "C'mon Qrow, we got a run to finish." _

_ "Hey Tai, I wouldn't-" _

_ "AAAGH!" _

_ "-go that way." _

_ The other three members of Team STRQ looked up at Tai, as he dangled upside-down from a snare set up a few meters from the pitfall. Raven smirked, while Summer broke into another fit of laughter; Qrow shook his head without surprise, he and Raven had learned long ago to always double-up their traps. _

_ "Oh, __**come on**__!" yelled Tai. _

_ Summer laughed even more, before climbing the tree to cut him down. Qrow, however, was preoccupied, he hadn't missed the look in his sister's eyes; a flash of disappointment, a predatory gaze that saw all others as beneath her, the incessant need to be the best. He could only hope that this wouldn't become more of a problem later on. _

_ The rest of the year was a reign of terror for all of Team STRQ, as they set up a myriad of pranks and traps for one another. Even Summer managed to win the day on more than one occasion, as they repeatedly tried to one-up one another. As much as he hated admitting when his twin had a point, Qrow had to agree that this competition certainly kept all of them on their toes; their reaction time had improved dramatically, and they had even developed some unorthodox new strategies as a result. Of course, this also meant a higher than average amount of detentions from Goodwitch, though she was willing to cut them a little bit of slack since they were the top team in their year. _

_ Life went on as usual in Team STRQ's third year; Raven kept up their usual training routine, Summer continued to learn more about her powers, Tai had courted almost every girl in school, and Qrow discovered the mind-numbing joys of booze. Among the more interesting events was the team's discovery and foiling of a rising drug operation in the city. They were hailed as local heroes and even appeared in the newspaper, _The Daily Vale_. _

_ The most entertaining escapade of their third year, however, was when Qrow and Tai got a little too curious about their Headmaster and his assistant. The campus was always hosting the odd rumor here and there, so it came as no surprise that there were more than a few about Ozpin and Goodwitch being more than just coworkers. Qrow and Tai decided they would spend one of their days off investigating, and tried to rope the girls into it as well. Raven outright dismissed the idea, calling it a waste of time, and spent the day at the training center instead. Summer, however, thought it sounded like fun and decided to help the boys with their seemingly impossible mission. _

_ Ultimately, the three students ended up following Ozpin around all day, only for Qrow and Tai to turn tail and run when the Headmaster finally decided to stop playing along. Summer stayed behind and had a friendly chat with him, refusing to divulge the content of their conversation to the boys, much to their dismay. _

_ They met up with Raven at dinner that night. She went on about how she told them it would be a waste of time, though she was mostly ignored by the boys as they ate. After the meal, the team went to their favorite hangout to pass some time before turning in for the day. They had discovered the spot mid-way through their second year; it was a lightly wooded area, on an outcrop sticking out half-way down Beacon Cliff. It gave a beautiful view of the Emerald Forest below, and Team STRQ would often watch the sunset together from the tree branches. _

LINE BREAK

It was this outcrop that Professor Ozpin now found himself standing on. It hadn't changed much in the almost twenty that it had been left unoccupied. A few students had spent some time there over the years, though none with the frequency of Team STRQ. Some of the trees had been knocked down, the result of a Nevermore nest that Ozpin had cleared out a few years ago. Remnants of Team STRQ's presence still remained, such as various carvings on the trees and cliff wall, or the odd knick-knack or two lying around.

"I thought I might find you here." said a nearby voice.

"Ah, Glynda." responded Ozpin, looking over just as Glynda finished climbing down the thick ivy from the top of the cliff.

"Still taking care of this place?" she asked, as she looked around.

"For now. I hope that one day a group of students will come here frequently enough so that I don't have to, but until then it feels wrong to allow this place to fall into disrepair."

"I can see why they liked it here, it's a nice, secluded little spot."

"Indeed, and the sunset is quite beautiful here."

Glynda laughed. "I think **we** already have a better view from the top of the tower."

"I suppose you're right." responded Ozpin, with a chuckle of his own.

Glynda continued to look around, taking note of all the little things that Team STRQ had left behind.

"Isn't that Oobleck's old coffee mug?" she asked, pointing to an old ceramic mug that said 'I LOVE CAFFEINE!' on it.

"Ah yes, Qrow stole that off of him after convincing him to go to a party at the end of their second year, if I recall correctly."

"If **I **recall correctly, Qrow filled that mug with all the alcohol he could get his hands on and wound up passed out in one of the fountains."

Ozpin couldn't help but laugh at her recollection. "That's how it all started, isn't it? Qrow's obsession with liquor, I mean."

"It's not funny." she replied, sternly.

Glynda turned her attention to the carvings on the trees, casually glancing over them until one in particular caught her eye. It was a carving of a heart with 'T + R' carved in the middle of it.

"I take it Taiyang carved this?"

Ozpin turned to see what she was looking at, recognizing the handiwork instantly. "Summer, actually. She wanted to help Taiyang work up the courage to ask Raven on a date; I guess she thought it would help Raven be more sociable."

"Raven, huh," said Glynda, with a hint of disdain, "that girl caused so much trouble."

"Her departure was her own choice."

"I meant before that, she caused a lot of trouble for **me**; hell, this whole team did." said Glynda, her scowl turning into an amused smile.

"I believe you said that this morning." said Ozpin, glad that the mood wasn't quite so somber this time. "Yes, they certainly were a handful, weren't they?"

"Hmph, remember when Raven found out she was pregnant, that morning?"

"Oh, how could I possibly forget?" replied Ozpin, laughing.

LINE BREAK

_Professor Ozpin was working diligently in his office one morning. The students that had been sent to Shade Academy for the Vytal Festival had returned from Vacuo a month ago. Raven Branwen had won the final match of the festival's combat tournament, sparking quite a lot of interest in Beacon Academy. Applications and transfer requests were coming in by the dozen, leaving the Headmaster with a whole day worth of deskwork. _

_ He was just about finished when the whole tower suddenly shook. Ozpin got up and rushed over to the clock-window to survey the situation. Rubble was scattered around the campus, along with the occasional crater in the ground. His eyes snapped to the left when a shockwave knocked down another statue. The Headmaster quickly made his way to the elevator and headed down to the lobby. Beacon was under attack, and he had to be there for his students. _

_ Ozpin quickly ran out the door, cane in hand, ready to defend his academy. What he saw, however, were not Hunters-in-training preparing for battle; what he saw instead were students standing throughout the courtyard, filming the altercation with their scrolls. _

_ "Man, Taiyang's really done it this time." said one student. _

_ "What did he do? Branwen is pissed!" said another. _

_ "I dunno, but this is turning out even better than the Vytal Festival!" _

_ Now that Ozpin was at ground level, he was able to get a closer look at the battle taking place, and was indeed able to make out the brief flashes of Qrow Branwen and Taiyang Xiao Long moving at high speed throughout the school grounds. From what he could see, Taiyang seemed to be trying his best to outrun Qrow, stopping periodically to try and talk down his livid partner. _

_ "C'mon Qrow, can't we just talk this out!?" reasoned Tai, as he parried some of Qrow's attacks. _

_ "Fuck no, you're a dead man you son of a bitch!" _

_ "Now that was uncalled for!" said Tai, retaliating with a punch that sent Qrow flying. "You've met my mother, she is a __**nice lady!**__" _

_ The fight quickly began to escalate, destroying more property and drawing the attention of more students. A large purple glyph formed nearby, as Professor Goodwitch stepped onto the scene. _

_ "Students, stop fighting __**this instant!**__" she yelled, trying to get their attention. _

_ From the other end of the plaza, Summer arrived in a brilliant stream of white light. _

_ "Qrow, Tai, stop it! Please, calm down!" she cried, to no avail. _

_ Having seen enough and wanting to get to the bottom of this, Ozpin stepped forward, unnoticed by the preoccupied crowd. He tapped his cane against the cobblestone, creating a loud, booming noise, like someone just dropped a tremendous weight on the ground. Rings of green light expanded from the point of impact, passing over everyone and everything they touched. _

_ The fighting and commotion died down, as everyone turned their attention to the Headmaster. No one dared speak a word as he stepped forward, they could practically see the air of authority around him. Professor Goodwitch quickly took the opportunity to restrain the distracted men of Team STRQ with her Telekinesis, suspending them in the before they could turn on each other again. _

_ "Now now, students," said Ozpin, addressing the crowd, "I believe there are better sources of entertainment around campus than the arguing of your classmates." _

_ Calling what had just transpired an argument was probably the biggest understatement any of them had heard, but the students didn't question the Headmaster's implicit order for them to disperse. Once the crowd seemed to be sufficiently out of earshot, Ozpin turned back to Qrow and Taiyang, only to find Goodwitch already going off on them. _

_ "Just what the __**hell**__ is going on here!? You two are almost __**graduates!**__ What do you think you're __**doing **__destroying the campus like this!?" _

_ "I'd just like to say, I tried to diffuse the situation." said Tai. _

_ "The __**hell**__ you did, you started this shit!" retorted Qrow. _

_ "That is __**enough**__." said Ozpin. "Professor Goodwitch is right, your time at this academy is almost over. I, too, would like to know what could possibly have motivated you to behave this way." _

_ "Well," started Tai, "you see-" _

_ "This asshole got my sister pregnant!" said Qrow, cutting him off. _

_ Professor Goodwitch's eyes widened and her jaw dropped, even Ozpin flinched a little. Tai hung his head and groaned at his partner's blunt delivery. _

_ "I told him not to make a big deal out of this." said Raven, drawing everyone's attention as she walked onto the scene. _

_ "Raven." said Summer, walking up to her partner. _

_ Raven waved her off, approaching the professors. Qrow and Tai stood beside her, Goodwitch's hold on them having been broken from the shock of the news. _

_ "Ms. Branwen," said the disciplinarian, "I assure you that this is a __**very**__ serious issue. This could affect your entire career here at Beacon." _

_ "Now Glynda," said Ozpin, cutting her off when he noticed the apprehensive looks on Team STRQ's faces, "this news comes as a shock to everyone. I'm sure Team STRQ would like some time to process this matter and discuss it amongst themselves…" _

_ The teammates all looked at each other and nodded in agreement, though Qrow and Tai still seemed on edge. _

_ "…in a civilized manner." added Ozpin. _

_ Team STRQ walked off towards the dorms. Summer turned back and mouthed a 'thank you' to Ozpin, who nodded in response. Glynda glared at Ozpin, as she waited for him to turn back to her. _

_ "I'll be speaking to Ms. Branwen later." she said, curtly, before walking off. _

_ Ozpin sighed heavily. He knew he was playing favorites with them, anyone else would have been sent to pack their bags already. With only a month-and-a-half left in the year, however, he saw no harm in it. _

_ The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Ozpin returned to his office and filed away the stack of papers he had finished earlier. He made sure to keep an eye on Qrow and Tai to make sure they didn't turn the campus into a warzone again, a warzone that Glynda was currently putting back together. _

_ It was dinner time when Ozpin noticed that Raven was absent from her team on the security monitor. She was certainly the kind of person that would want some time alone after receiving life-changing news; still, he felt he should have a talk with her about her future in this scenario. Feeling that Qrow and Taiyang wouldn't spontaneously start fighting in the dining hall, Ozpin left for the one place he figured Raven would be. _

_ Raven was sitting against a tree in the team's usual hangout, an outcrop halfway down Beacon Cliff. Between her discovery that morning, her brother fighting her boyfriend over it, and Professor Goodwitch scolding her for it, she was glad to finally have some time to herself to think. Time that was quite short lived, it would seem, as she felt someone's presence approaching behind her. _

_ "I say it every time, but you four really did find quite the lovely little spot here." said the Headmaster, prompting Raven to stand and face him. _

_ "Professor Ozpin." she said, regarding the head of the school with respect. _

_ "Mind if I join you?" he asked, sitting on a nearby rock. _

_ Raven visibly relaxed upon hearing the Professor's casual tone, and sat back down. _

_ "I've run this academy for decades, yet I'm still learning new things about it every year." said Ozpin, motioning to the surrounding landscape. _

_ "Decades? You don't look that old, Professor." _

_ "Aura can do many things, Raven, including working wonders for one's good looks." he responded, jokingly. "I assure you, I am far older than I look." _

_ "With all due respect, Professor, I think we both know you didn't come all this way just to admire the view and give me beauty tips." _

_ "Straight to the point as always, Ms. Branwen. You're right, I came to see how you were doing, given your current…predicament." _

_ "Goodwitch already gave me an earful." said Raven, rolling her eyes. "She said the only reason I can stay is because there's such a short time left until we graduate." _

_ "Hmm, yes, I imagine Mr. Xiao Long received quite the scolding as well." _

_ "He was in her office with me, pretty sure he ran back to our dorm in fear for his life afterwards." _

_ "Well, Professor Goodwitch tends to have that effect on people." said Ozpin, with a chuckle. _

_ "We made a mistake." said Raven, with a downcast expression. _

_ Ozpin shook his head. "__**I've**__ made mistakes, and compared to mine, yours is relatively minor. Instead of dwelling on what has past, you should be looking to the future." _

_ "My future was supposed to be that of a Huntress. Now, I'm not sure I'll have the time." she replied, with disdain. _

_ "Hmm, that may end up being true." _

_ "Goodwitch outright told me that I'd have to make compromises, she said that the life of a Huntress is no life for a mother." _

_ "Professor Goodwitch has her own reasons for saying such things. In any case, whether you decide to continue taking missions or not, becoming a mother is a wonderful thing." said Ozpin, with a reassuring smile. _

_ "You certainly seem more enthusiastic than me." _

_ "Of course, I can think of no greater task than bringing up our next generation, helping them learn, helping them grow. Why do you think I started this Academy?" _

_ Raven stayed silent, seeming to consider the Headmaster's words, as he got up from where he was seated. _

_ "Give it some thought, I have faith you'll find the right answer." he said. _

_ "I will, thank you, Professor." _

_ Ozpin nodded, before leaving her to herself. _

LINE BREAK

By the time Ozpin and Glynda returned to the campus, it was already mid-afternoon, and the last classes were letting out for the day. They watched as the students poured out of the class buildings that weren't still undergoing repairs. After being crammed into classrooms together all day, they were quite excited to be free for the evening. Some students headed for the now open-air training center, some headed to the dining hall for a bite to eat, and others made for their dorms for a much needed nap.

Among the crowd, Ozpin was able to make out the distinct appearance of Team RWBY. Ruby was talking excitedly and waving her arms around, as she announced what was most likely another grand plan for a fun-filled afternoon. Yang could be seen unsettling a few of the students around them, no doubt relentlessly teasing them. Ozpin couldn't help but smile as he saw them enjoying themselves, despite the circumstances.

"I have to commend those girls," said Glynda, beside him, "being able to put on such happy faces on a day like this."

"Hmm, yes, they have quite a lot of inner strength for such a young age. It's heartwarming, really."

"Miss Xiao Long, in particular; after all, she's lost two mothers."

"Yes, I remember."

LINE BREAK

_Professor Ozpin sat in the corner of a room in Vale Central Hospital's ICU, waiting patiently for the black-haired man in the bed to wake up. The Headmaster looked over at the red cape hanging on the wall, the once pristine cloth now tattered after four years of harsh combat. His attention was brought back to the bed when the patient began to stir. _

_ "Ngh, what happened…where am I?" he wondered, groggily. _

_ "Easy, Qrow, you're still in rough shape." _

_ "Ozpin?" _

_ The silver-haired man nodded. "You're in the hospital, Summer found you and brought you here." _

_ "Summer? The last thing I remember is…Raven!" said Qrow, sitting up quickly upon saying his sister's name, only to double over in pain. _

_ Ozpin rushed over and placed a hand on his former student's shoulder, gently pushing him back down. "I said try not to move, you're still recovering." _

_ "Oz, it's Raven, she…she's gone." _

_ "Tell me what happened." said the Headmaster, as he pulled the chair over and sat back down. _

_ "Raven left." said Qrow, with a morbid tone. _

_ Ozpin looked at him intently, giving his full attention to Qrow's recollection of recent events. _

_ "She had her daughter, Yang…a week ago. Things were fine, she and Tai seemed happy enough…then, Tai woke up yesterday and she was gone." he recounted, with some difficulty due to his bothersome injuries. "I…managed to track her down to…the outskirts of Vale." _

_ "To where Summer found you?" _

_ "More or less. I tried convincing her to come back, she refused, we fought, and I-I…" _

_ "You lost." _

_ Qrow hung his head in shame, gritting his teeth as the words sunk in. "I-I'm sorry, I couldn't stop her from leaving." _

_ Ozpin could only look on, somberly, as one of his best students broke down in front of him. _

_ "W-what should I do?" asked Qrow, suddenly. _

_ Ozpin said nothing, only quirked an eyebrow in confusion. _

_ "You always know what to do, so tell me. Tell me what I should do!" _

_ Ozpin saw the desperation in the younger man's eyes, how lost he was. "I…don't know what to say, so I'll just tell you what you need to hear. It's not what you __**want**__ to hear, but…give up on bringing your sister home." _

_ Qrow was dumbstruck, he was silent for almost a minute before he finally responded. "W-what?" _

_ "You heard me, do not try to bring Raven home. Instead, move on for now, and just be patient." _

_ "Be patient!? Are you fu-" _

_ "She has made her choice very clear, and we must respect it. Force will not help this situation, the only way Raven will come home is voluntarily." _

_ Qrow didn't speak for quite some time after that, he just stared bitterly at his old Headmaster. It wasn't until Ozpin got up and made his way toward the door that Qrow finally said a single word. "Fine." _

LINE BREAK

Team RWBY was on their way to the air-dock to request a bullhead flight. This was not the typical flight into town, however. Despite having planned an afternoon of goofing off, Weiss and Blake petitioned to postpone such activities until tomorrow. They decided instead that Ruby and Yang should spend this particular afternoon paying a visit to their mother. Ruby and Yang agreed, but only so long as their teammates accompanied them.

"Thanks again for doing this, guys." said Ruby, as they approached one of the landing pads.

"No thanks are needed, this is the least we could do." said Weiss.

"Yeah, this is an important day for you two." said Blake.

"Still, thanks, it means a lot to us." said Yang.

The team walked up to the bullhead and made their request, only to be disappointed by the pilot's answer.

"What do you **mean** you can't take us to Patch!?" asked Weiss, angrily.

"Sorry, but I can't just take a bunch of students across the harbor, 'specially not this late in the day." said the pilot, defensively. "You'd probably have better luck on the weekend if a professor will sign off on it."

"Drat."

"I'm sorry, Ruby." said Blake, comforting the saddened girl.

They were just starting to leave when they spotted Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch approaching them.

"You girls wouldn't happen to be trying to get a flight to Patch, now would you?" asked the older man. "Because it just so happens that I have some business to attend to there."

"Can we really come with you?" asked Ruby, with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Of course." he replied, turning to the pilot. "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"R-right away, Sir." said the pilot, nervously, before he entered the cockpit to prepare for takeoff.

"Well, he changed his tune rather quickly." said Ozpin, with a chuckle.

Professor Goodwitch just rolled her eyes and entered the bullhead.

Much of the flight passed by quietly. While three of the girls felt a bit nervous sharing a ride with the school's two top officials, Ruby did not seem to mind. She was curious, however, about what business the Headmaster had on her island home.

"So, why are you going to Patch, Professor?"

"The same reason as you, to pay my respects to our dearly departed Summer Rose."

"You knew my mom?"

"Of course he knew her." snapped Weiss. "She went to Beacon, didn't she?"

"Indeed, Summer was one of Beacon's most beloved students. A pure soul, well-liked by everyone, and always did her best to help everyone."

"Must've been something to warrant a personal visit from you." said Yang, with surprise.

"On the contrary, Miss Xiao Long, I make a point to visit all of the Hunters that have attended my school and fallen in battle. I don't always find the time, unfortunately, but I pay my respects whenever I can."

"Wonder how many trips that is a year?" said Blake, not quite as quietly as she hoped she did.

Before everyone in the VTOL could point out how insensitive the comment was, Ozpin simply answered the question. "Hmm…by my last count there have been one-hundred and seventeen killed in action since the school's opening."

The girls stared at him, silently, none quite knowing what to say.

"How does he keep track of them all?" mumbled Weiss, not realizing fast enough that she had spoken her thought out loud.

"Actually, not many people know, there is a floor underneath Beacon Tower containing a memorial wall. The name of every Beacon student, graduate, and alumnus that is killed in the line of duty gets inscribed on that wall."

"Oh." responded Weiss, sheepishly.

"You should see it sometime," continued the Headmaster, "look up some of the names there. Everyone on that wall is considered a hero, not just to Vale, but to all of Remnant. Perhaps some of their stories will strike a chord with one of you."

"We'll be sure to do that." responded Ruby, with a look of pride and determination.

Silence quickly returned to the inside of the VTOL, leaving Ozpin to reflect on the past. Ruby was probably too young to remember at the time, but he had actually been present at her mother's funeral. Now that he was on his way to pay his respects, the Headmaster found his thoughts drifting to that somber day.

LINE BREAK

_It was a cloudy day; nothing that would signal bad weather, but enough to block the sun once in a while. A crowd of people, clad in black formal wear, was gathered in and around a lone log cabin. The island of Patch was small, so it was clear that many of the visitors were not from the nearby town. Summer Rose was well-liked by just about everyone she met; news of her death hit everyone hard, so it was no surprise that so many had come out to pay their respects. _

_ Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch were among the last to arrive. The other guests greeted them solemnly at the door. The Headmaster and his deputy exchanged hugs and handshakes with everyone as they made their way through the home, searching for the family of the departed. They eventually found a surprisingly sober Qrow, standing outside the master bedroom door. _

_ "Hey, Oz." _

_ "Qrow, I'm pleasantly surprised." _

_ "What, that I'm not hitting the bottle over this? Couldn't bring myself to; somebody's gotta stay strong, for Tai's sake." _

_ "How is he holding up?" asked Goodwitch. _

_ "'Bout as good as one would expect. He may act tough, but everybody knows he's a big softie." _

_ "He'll pull through," said Ozpin, "just give him some time." _

_ A moment later, the door opened to reveal a slightly haggard looking Taiyang. It was odd seeing him in a suit; the last time he had worn one was during his wedding with Summer, where he couldn't wait to get out of it, for more than one reason. Now, however, he wore one to mourn the death of the very same woman only a few years later; the situation could only be described as heartbreaking. _

_ "Taiyang." greeted Professor Ozpin. _

_ "Professor Ozpin, Professor Goodwitch…thanks for coming." _

_ He sounded even worse than he looked, his throat was hoarse and his voice was sullen. Ozpin shook his hand, and Goodwitch gave him a rare embrace. _

_ "I'm so sorry, Taiyang." said the Headmaster. _

_ "If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask." said Goodwitch. _

_ "Thanks again, but right now I just wanna get this over with." _

_ "Tai," said Qrow, "it's time." _

_ "I'll get the girls." replied Taiyang, with a nod. He retrieved his daughters from their room, then made his way towards the front of the house with Qrow. The guests all lined up for the funeral procession, with the family and a town officiant near the front. There was no casket on account of the fact that there was no body to bury. Summer had died fighting the Creatures of Grimm, an all too common occurrence that made the people of Remnant uncomfortably used to cadaver-less funerals. _

_ The procession made its way through town, with a few musicians playing music on various instruments to honor the fallen Huntress. They continued out of town and into the woods until they came to a lone cliffside. This was Summer's favorite place on the island, due to the beautiful view it offered of the sunset and ocean. Ozpin remembered it well, it was where Taiyang and Summer got married, and now it was to serve as the final resting place for the young woman's simple soul. _

_ The procession ended, everyone stood at attention while the officiant made his way over to a small concrete grave marker that had recently been placed on the cliff. _

_ "Well, thank you all for coming out today for this solemn occasion." he began. "We are here this afternoon to pay our last respects, and bid a sad farewell to our beloved Summer Rose." _

_ The officiant went on for some time with his speech, before asking people from the crowd to come up and say a few words about the departed. Ozpin recognized some of the speakers as students from Summer's time at Beacon. Others were residents of the town that Summer had gotten to know personally. The occasional Hunter from another kingdom spoke. Even Qrow stepped up and gave a short speech about how Summer was a great team leader and friend. _

_ At this point, murmurs had circulated through the crowd about Ozpin's presence at the event, with many wondering if he would say anything. Not seeing anyone step up after Qrow had spoken, the Headmaster decided he might as well say a few words. _

_ "Hmm, what can I say about Summer Rose that hasn't already been said? Summer was…one of the most beloved students at Beacon Academy, and during her time there she came to be a magnificent Huntress…a hero. She was a symbol of hope for the entire world, and I sincerely hope that the world will continue to be inspired by her courage long after she has passed. She will always hold a special place in all of our hearts, and will always be remembered within the walls of Beacon Academy. Thank you." _

_ Ozpin rejoined Professor Goodwitch in the crowd. Everyone was looking around, some of them whispering, expectantly. They were all expecting Taiyang to speak at some point, even if he was the last to speak, but the man did not move. He continued to stand there, silently, looking over his two young daughters and waiting for the ceremony to continue. _

_ The officiant returned to the center of the cliff to address the crowd once more. "It seems that everyone has said what they needed to. With that, we will close this ceremony by bidding our final farewells to dear Summer. May she return, peacefully, to the Dust from which she was born." _

_ The attendees began walking up to the grave, one-by-one, to place flowers and say their goodbyes. They all read the words, 'Summer Rose, Thus Kindly I Scatter,' feeling it was an appropriate remembrance for the saintly woman. The Hunters that had attended the funeral moved off to the side and drew their weapons. Those with firearms aimed towards the sky and fired off synchronized shots, giving a gun salute to the fallen warrior; those who lacked projectile weapons made do by standing opposite one another, crossing each other's weapons overhead. _

_ Over by Taiyang, his youngest daughter, Ruby, began to look around, apprehensively. She was probably too young to understand what was really going on, but at this point she seemed to finally register that the sad ceremony around her had something to do with her mother. _

_ "Daddy, why do all the people look so sad?" she asked. "Why are all the sad people saying things about Mommy?" _

_ Ruby's older sister pulled her into a hug, as she started to cry into the smaller girl's dark hair. Their father stood over them and swallowed hard with a pained look on his face. _

_ "Daddy, where's Mommy?" Ruby asked. "When's Mommy coming home!?" _

_ Taiyang could take no more, the man finally broke. He collapsed to his knees and wrapped his arms around the girls, as sobs wracked his body. _

_ "Daddy? Daddy, what's wrong!? Yang!?" _

_ Professor Goodwitch looked at the sorrowful display from afar, feeling awful for them. _

_ "It truly is a terrible day for rain." said Ozpin, standing beside her. _

_ "Hm, what do you mean? It's not-" Glynda stopped, as she saw a lone tear run down the Headmaster's face. "Oh…so it is." _

_ Ozpin and Glynda were among the last to leave the cliffside. Most of the townspeople had left, no doubt returning to their normal lives. The Hunters that had come left for the docks, to sail or fly back to their parts of the world. Some of the attendees went with Taiyang and his daughters, being supportive and making sure the family got home alright. Qrow stuck around with the professors, wanting to see them off. _

_ "Well, now what?" asked Qrow. "I mean, we all know who's responsible for this. What are we gonna do about it?" _

_ "Unfortunately, there isn't much that we __**can **__do right now." replied Ozpin. "She set a trap, and now we're on the defensive." _

_ "So, here's an idea, why don't we call up those magic fairies you keep mentioning and take the fight to her?" _

_ "Out of the question. The Maidens' identities are a closely guarded secret, calling them to fight is exactly the kind of response she would want." _

_ "There you go again, always needing everything to be all planned out." _

_ "Of course we do." retorted Professor Goodwitch. "That monster is a master manipulator, she would have planned for such a crude response. We can't take such drastic action when we have no idea what her next move is." _

_ "Heh, y'know Oz, whatever secrets you told Summer, she took to her grave; but the way Goodwitch leaps to your defense, I'm starting to think you two really are-" _

_ Qrow had stopped speaking, abruptly. He stood, stock still, staring ahead of him. Ozpin and Goodwitch followed his line of sight to a shadowy figure standing in the trees. Qrow began stomping furiously, as he rushed over to where the figure stood. The Beacon professors followed quickly, wondering what had caused him to be so upset. _

_ "You! What the hell are __**you**__ doing here!?" demanded Qrow, as he approached who could now clearly be seen as a woman in black and red clothes. _

_ "Paying my respects to my best friend." she replied. _

_ Ozpin and Goodwitch walked up next to Qrow, surprised that it was his sister, Raven, that stood before them. _

_ "Well you sure got a shitty way of doing it." said Qrow. "Where were you the past few days? You up and vanished, again! Literally this time!" _

_ Ozpin furrowed his brow at this, before looking down and noticing what Raven was carrying in her multi-chambered scabbard. _

_ "I couldn't exactly stick around and hang out, I don't have time to sit around catching up with old friends." _

_ "Oh, and I suppose you couldn't find time in your busy schedule to save one from dying either!" _

_ That comment set Raven off. She drew her sword with blinding speed, intent on bringing the tip up to her twin's neck. Ozpin was faster, intercepting the blade mid-way to its target with his cane. Seeing the eerie glow of the red Dust blade confirmed the Headmaster's earlier suspicions. _

_ "So, now you wanna take a swing at me too, huh!?" goaded Qrow. _

_ "I think we both remember how well that turned out for you last time." responded Raven. _

_ "That's __**enough**__, both of you!" snapped Professor Goodwitch, startling the twins. "Fighting amongst yourselves will get you nowhere." _

_ Raven lowered her weapon, fixing Qrow with a bitter glare. "You don't get to lecture me, Qrow, I was there; I just wasn't strong enough to save her…sorry." _

_ Qrow turned away with a guilty look on his face, mentally chastising himself for taking his frustrations out on his sister. Professor Goodwitch looked at Raven sympathetically, she also knew the pain of failing to save a loved one. _

_ "If that's all, I'll be going now." said Raven. "I've been here too long already." _

_ "Miss Branwen," said Ozpin, suddenly, "where, might I ask, did you procure that Dust?" _

_ "Hmph, so you noticed." she replied, holding up her sword. "I stole this from the home of that…__**witch**__ that killed Summer, it was the only way I was able to escape alive." _

_ "You fought her, on her home turf!?" asked Qrow, in shock. _

_ Raven nodded. "That's why I was so injured when I arrived." _

_ Professor Goodwitch stared at the glowing sword, half-shocked and half-impressed at what its wielder was able to accomplish. Ozpin stayed composed, calmly working this new information over in his head; he would have to get the full details of the encounter from Raven at a later date. _

_ "Listen up!" said Raven, calling them all to attention. "I'm going to tear our enemies down, piece by bloody piece, as I search for the power to kill that monster, and when I do - I will run this blade through her __**skull**__!" _

_ All three of them stared at her, surprised that even she would attempt something so dangerous by herself. _

_ "So, stay out of my way." she finished, swinging her sword behind her. _

_ The whine of vibrating metal could be heard, as a red and black vortex swirled into existence at the point that she 'cut.' Raven stepped into the portal and disappeared. Qrow made to follow, uncomfortable with seeing his sister enveloped by the mysterious energy. _

_ "Let her go for now." said Ozpin, placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "There will be another day." _

_ Qrow turned away from the Headmaster, begrudgingly. "Right." _

LINE BREAK

"Attention passengers, we will be arriving at Patch Airstrip shortly. Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing."

The pilot's announcement broke Professor Ozpin out of his reverie. He looked around at the students, quietly chatting, and Professor Goodwitch, looking over some documents on her scroll. No one seemed to have noticed him get lost in his memories.

The bullhead landed at the airstrip a few minutes later. The pilot checked in with the officials, then told Ozpin that he would get the ship refueled and wait for their return. Ozpin thanked him and then headed towards town with Team RWBY and Professor Goodwitch.

The group stopped in a local flower shop to pick up some flowers to bring to the grave. Ruby had the idea for each team member to get roses in each of their respective colors, something everyone agreed would be a sweet gesture. With their purchases complete, Ruby and Yang bid farewell to the florist, and the group made their way through town and headed towards the cliff. They didn't bother stopping by Ruby and Yang's home, the sisters already knew that their father had left on a mission earlier in the day.

When the six visitors arrived at the cliffside, they noticed that roses of different colors had already been left on the gravestone; Weiss and Blake figured this was normal, and probably what gave Ruby the idea.

"The big bouquet of red roses was left by our dad, he does that every year." said Ruby, solemnly. "My Uncle Qrow always leaves a few black ones, says it's more his style or something. I don't know who leaves the white ones, though."

Ozpin glanced over at Yang, wondering if she shared his suspicions about who was likely leaving them.

Team RWBY placed their own flowers among the others; red from Ruby, white from Weiss, black from Blake, and yellow from Yang. The blonde brawler embraced her younger sister as they paid their respects to their fallen mother. Summer may not have given birth to Yang, but still treated her like she had; as far as Yang was concerned, Summer **was** her mother. Weiss and Blake moved over to the other two girls and embraced them. The group hug made Ruby and Yang smile in gratitude, despite the rather depressing circumstances.

Ozpin looked over the group, seemingly lost in thought once again.

"What's the matter this time?" asked Goodwitch, beside him.

"Just hoping for the future, hoping that Team RWBY's lives turn out better than Team STRQ's."

"I don't know if they will or not," said Goodwitch, taking Ozpin's hand, "but I know that you're doing the best you can."

"Hm, yes, I suppose you're right. Thank you, Glynda."

* * *

**A/N: So...that was a thing. Now, I've got some good news and some bad news. Bad news is, this story is going to be on hiatus until further notice. The good news is, I've got two new stories to work on. These will be planned multi-chapter fics, so the chapters should be a lot shorter since they aren't meant to be their own self-contained stories. This means updates should be more frequent. The first fic will be a crime story focusing on Roman and Neo, and is already fully planned out, so I'll start working on that very soon. The second fic will be a Volume 4 AU about revenge; that one has the general outline done, but not the individual chapter outlines, so you can expect that one a little further down the line. **

**Don't forget to leave a review, I take all of your criticism into consideration to help myself improve. Thank you and have a good day. **


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